


Innocence Lost

by FreakensteinXIII



Category: Deus Ex: Mankind Divided
Genre: Dark subject matter, Depression, Drug Abuse, Drug Addiction, F/M, NSFW, Sexual Content, Suicidal Thoughts
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-26
Updated: 2016-10-26
Packaged: 2018-08-27 04:02:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 37,784
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8386453
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FreakensteinXIII/pseuds/FreakensteinXIII
Summary: Vera Severov was just someone who was wanting to run away from it all. All the prejudice and hate that was flooding Prague. When certain events change her life permanently, a new chance at life appears and shows her that life can go on. AU of Mankind Divided





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So this is my first fanfic on this website so hopefully it's good enough.
> 
> This is set in Deus Ex mankind Divided so there will be spoilers ahead but it will be set in a slight AU. The main difference will be the time span that goes along- meaning, days and weeks pass in some parts whereas, only days pass in the game.
> 
> Enjoy!

She looked down at her phone as she walked impatiently past the slow moving crowd of depressed inhabitants of Ruzicka Station. She had four missed calls from her father but instead of tapping her father's name to dial him back, she clutched her phone with deep regret before forcing her hand to her side and returning her attention ahead of her. Her phone vibrated strongly in her palm again but she ignored it like every other time.

Vera Severov halted as the mass of people, both naturals and augs alike, became too clustered for her to get by. She adjusted the strap to her overstuffed backpack as she moved around the crowd.

That morning she and her father had fought about what they always fought about. Vera wanted out. She wanted to leave the depressing shit-hole of Prague but the ever so strict head of police, AKA her father, demanded that she stay. He could protect her; she could join the force. Hell, they were naturals so what was the big deal? Vera was basically royalty among the meager peasants and the homeless that were the augmented.

But none of that mattered to her. Vera hated every bit of Prague. It was always grey. Every television station was nothing but the same horror stories about crazy augmented people taking more lives. The Dvali and the long running friendship that her family had with some of its members. Her father constantly spewing his same hate speech about augs to try to make her see his way. It's why her mother left. After the incident two years prior, Vera couldn't help but have a small fear towards those augmented but she and her mother never grew as distant and cold as her father and the rest of the police force did. Everyone was human and she wasn't better than anyone else. All Vera wanted to do was leave to go to art school in America where her mother was. Her art was all that took her away from the melancholy of the world.

Her mother was half American, half Russian and had family in Florida. That's where she had moved to after the divorce. Bitter towards her mother for being the one taking the step to leave, Vera refused to leave her father behind and stayed in Prague, but now, she just needed to be gone. She was going to move to America to be with her mother and start her new life. She was 26. It was time for her to leave her old home behind.

A shaky exhale escaped past her pale lips and her chest tightened in pain when the phone vibrated again. Vera did love her father very much. She knew if she spoke to him, heard his voice; his apology, then she would stay. She would call him after she was gone.

Vera didn't know that her pale blue eyes had drifted towards the screen of her phone again until she bumped roughly into a brick wall of a man ahead of her and dropped her phone to the concrete.

Vera took a quick step back and opened her mouth for an immediate apology but was hushed when the man faced her. Dressed in a long black coat with dark hair, a nicely kept beard and golden impenetrable shades, Adam Jensen towered over the woman as he looked down at her with an expressionless face.

“Shit,” a woman standing next to Adam breathed as she picked up Vera's phone; a large crack split down the middle of it. “Sorry about your phone.”

Vera shook her head with an apologetic smile tugging at her lips as she took her phone back. She spoke in English after she heard the other woman do so, “No I'm sorry. It's my fault.” Her blue eyes drifted back towards the man who remained silent before looking back at the woman. Vera noted that the two were both very evidently auged but she didn't mind. In fact, the slight change in expression from the woman after Vera's apology was enough to say that she wasn't expecting such politeness from a natural.

Vera opened her mouth to speak again but this time was silenced when she saw an unmistakable yellow hoodie stand out from the crowd to a man that Vera knew all too well. Or at least she suspected she did. The man hid his face well as he strode by without even a glance.

_ Is that..?  _ Vera began to herself but shook her thoughts away.  _ No it can't be. Ivan is in the Utulek Complex. _ She was there when her father dragged him away.

“Something wrong?” Adam finally spoke with a deep roughness in his voice that was more than enough to jolt Vera's attention back to him.

“Nothing,” Vera quickly replied with another apologetic smile before dipping her head to the two. “Sorry again. You two have a good day.” The two didn't stop Vera as she moved around them to continue on into the building. Before they continued as well, the woman, Alex Vega, noticed Adam looking towards the man clad in yellow.

“Adam?” Alex said with curiosity.

Adam remained as he was for a few more heartbeats before shaking his head and moving to walk again with Alex and continue from where they left off.

Vera was inside now and was relieved when she learned that her phone still functioned just fine. Yet another call; her father was worried, she knew and that tore her apart inside. With a defeated sigh, Vera caved and answered the call.

“ _ Vera!” _ her father spoke in Russian. “ _ I've called you six-- _ ”

“ _ I know dad, _ ” Vera interrupted. “ _ You know I can't go back. _ ”

“ _No,_ ” her dad's voice was soft but firm. “ _I'm sorry sweetie. I'll let you have your space but just please stay. There's no one else here for me except you. Please don't leave me too._ _Come back and we'll talk this over. No more fighting, I promise. I love you Vera._ ”

Vera breathed with a heavy heart. As her eyes wandered around, she saw the two she ran into earlier within with building too stopped and conversing with one another. Her hand was gripping her phone too tight and her heart rate had picked up dramatically. Her eyes were already watering and she knew that she couldn't leave.

“ _ I love you too d-- _ ,”

All that followed was a loud bang of an explosion, screaming and more explosions when Vera turned to the source of the terror as soon as the bombing hit the building she was in.

\---

Adam had reached for Alex to help her stand as soon as the explosion was over.

“Alex, you okay?” Adam asked gruffly after some coughing.

“Yeah,” Alex answered and coughed twice, “yeah.”

When they were on their feet, Adam spoke again, “Let's get out of here.”

As they trudged onward, the victims of the attack were all too evident and abundant. Adam halted in his step when he noticed a woman laying before him with a few shards of glass along the left side of her face, ruining her left eye. Her long black hair sprawled out messily around her and her other eye untouched but glassy. The once pretty pale blue of those eyes that were once looking at Adam with curiosity were now gone; stolen as Vera lie lifeless.


	2. Chapter 2

A hoarse cough, followed quickly by groans of pain and dry sobs as Vera pressed her back against the wall in wherever the fuck she was. She was sitting down, arms trembling and she shook her head frantically as the man before her knelt in front of her.

“You're panicking,” Ivan Berk spoke carefully. “It takes time getting used to.” He didn't regard the empty plastic capsule she dropped.

All Vera could see in the scarce light was just a few features illuminated on Ivan, his yellow coat being obvious, with her right eye and nothing but numbers and warnings flashing scanning by her left one. It looked like little dots and lines kept trying to connect themselves to Ivan's features for Vera to see something but the system wasn't working properly for her to even know.

She lifted her cold, pale hands ahead of her, palms facing out to keep Ivan from getting closer. Her broken voice managed words, “Wh-why would you do this to me? Why not leave me to die?”

It was true that Vera had died. Or basically did. When Ivan scoured the wreckage briefly, he knew he had seen Vera before the attack and was right when he found her body. Her heart was struggling to work but it was pounding enough for him to drag her away.

“You're special,” Ivan said with a kindness, a feigned kindness, in his voice.

“Stop.” Vera choked out and flinched her hands away from him when he stirred a little. She tried to appear as though she could fight and resist him, but they both knew she was terrified of him.

Ivan was amused. He looked down for a moment at his augmented hands that had another hit of Neon in them. “Why would I do this?” he spoke in almost a whisper. Ivan looked up at Vera again, “Do you know what I've been through?” He poked her chest and Vera flinched again from the contact. “The pain, the hate, the discrimination?” He poked her again. “What your father did to me? You watched. You were there that day.”

Vera started shaking her head again and her face twisted to that of fear and near tears, “I didn't want any of it. I couldn't stop any of them--” She let out a low scream as Ivan suddenly grabbed the back of her head and entangled his augmented fingers in her dirty black hair roughly.

Ivan leaned closer to her but still kept his face a good distance from hers. He wasn't intending on hurting her physically. He just wanted to scare her which he had down. Even though he acted malicious, he wasn't trying to torture Vera. Besides, she was his sister now. She was one of them.

“This is revenge.” Ivan admitted. “A personal vendetta. Your dad is the face of the police in Prague. It will hurt his image- hurt  _ him _ to see what happened to you but the fact is, these augmentations  _ saved  _ you.” He let go of her hair but remained where he was, “I'm not trying to make him see our way. But I hope that you can.”

Before Vera could remark, the door opened to the small room she was in. It was like a cell, there was a bed, a chair and a radio on a small table. The man in the doorway was massive and more terrifying than Ivan was. His entire body blocked the doorway and all light trying to find its way in.

“Brother,” the man spoke with a very thick accent. “They are asking questions. You should leave.”

Ivan had his head turned away from Vera when her retinal display finally began to work. In her vision, she could see information about Ivan placed before her. He was married to a woman named Melissa. He was born in 2002, just a year older than her, and he suffered from the incident two years ago but managed to save his wife from his outburst. Ivan was also the culprit behind the bombing.

“Would Melissa condone your actions?” Vera mustered the courage to ask which successfully drew Ivan's attention completely to her.

“How--?” Ivan began but then stopped and smiled slightly. He looked into her glowing golden eye that spiraled like a camera lense. “It seems to work.”

“Brother.” The other man spoke again with impatience. He was gone however before Vera could look up at him.

Ivan put the other hit of Neon in Vera's still trembling hand and spoke with what might have actually been genuine kindness this time, “This is all I'm allowed to give you right now but this might be the last time we see each other. It will help with the pain for now so try to save it.” He stood up, “Farewell sister.”

\--

Vera refused to look at herself for nearly the entire time she was there. There being Golem City, she learned. She wasn't with the other inhabitants however. There were no police. It didn't take long for her to realize that she was in ARC territory and she was surrounded by those who were the resistance.

She rarely spoke to anyone. She didn't want to; couldn't make herself do it. When she bathed, she kept her eyes averted down from any mirror that may be nearby. She could tell that she was sickly thin and by close observation, she could see metal pads under her fingertips on both hands. There were scars on her chest from her being obviously cut open and that made her nearly vomit at the thought. Thanks to Ivan, she had also developed a pretty unhealthy addiction to Neon.

With experimentation and curiosity, she learned what her augmented eye could do, and learned that it was wired all the way to her left hand. One day as she sat idle, she watched another ARC member walking alone. He was 42, divorced twice and had three children that were all naturals. He was a war veteran that was discharged shortly after the incident. It seemed like any Aug she looked at, she was able to see their bio and if she delved deep enough, she could see their past.

Vera kept her eyes on the war veteran and her fingers twitched every now and then as she flipped through his files on her display. When she accessed another part of his system, she quickly squeezed her hand shut and reopened it. The man suddenly stopped moving. Her fingers twitched again and he looked down at his hands. One more twitch and he face palmed himself.

Vera was up and already scurrying from the scene before he could look around. When she was alone again, she looked down at her left hand. She could hack into augmented individuals and control them briefly. Why would she be given this overzealous augment when all she needed was a new eye? Was she some kind of experiment?

As she walked away, a camera followed her and the large man from a few days ago watched on the other side with a satisfied smile on his face.

After more practice, she also learned that she could also shut off individual’s bios if she wanted so she didn't invade their privacy.

Vera wasn't sure how much longer she was in Golem City when she sat alone one night, or day, she didn't know, and just got done inhaling another dose of Neon. As she dropped the empty capsule and leaned against the wall with her head tilted upwards, she thought about her life.

What had she become? She was an aug. Not too long ago she was a natural. Just a normal girl who wanted to leave the horrible city of Prague behind. She wanted to be an artist, a painter in America. She didn't even know the last time she had drawn anything. Maybe her dad was right. She should have just listened to him and stayed. If she had stayed home that day, she would still be alive in her old life. This new one she was forced into didn't seem real. She didn't want to believe it to be. Not only was she augmented and stranded; pronounced dead to the rest of the world, but she was a lowly junkie too. The Neon didn't even help with the pain that much anymore. She closed her eyes tightly as a tear forced itself out of her only organic eye.

Later that night she was woken to the sound of a body hitting the floor. When she heard more grunting, Vera hesitantly sat up in her bed. She told herself to just lay back down but after another thud, she was on her feet. She wanted to see what was happening.

When Vera exited to the other, more open area of the complex, she saw the first unconscious body and quickly covered her mouth to stifle a startled scream. Her heart rate had picked up from the sudden rush of fear. Someone had infiltrated them.

Too curious, Vera made herself follow the bodies without waking any of those out cold. Even though ARC wasn't hostile towards her, she didn't consider herself actually one of them and if this was about the bombing of Ruzicka Station, then whoever the attacker was had justification. Vera knew it was Ivan Berk and Ivan was a part of ARC.

Vera slowed her step and knelt down around a corner just in time to see the attacker choking another man out to unconsciousness. Her eyes went wide. The man was just a black figure but he was definitely augmented for his info pulled up in her vision.

“Adam Jensen…,” Vera spoke nearly inaudibly. Born in 1993, EX-SWAT, previous head of security for Sarif Industustries, currently working for both the Juggernaut Collective and Interpol…. When she skimmed and saw where he's killed before, she immediately reacted by pulling up his control center. She still wasn't sure exactly who he was but she couldn't let a murder just roam around anymore. When she closed her hand and opened it again in attempts to hack him, it proved to be much harder than the ARC member she had hacked the other day.

Adam didn't move forward when he felt an odd sensation hit his body. It felt as though someone was tugging at his being and it suddenly hit again. He quickly looked around and immediately saw pale girl hiding from around the corner, hand out and facing him. When his shielded eyes hit hers, the fear was unmistakable along her face.  _ A hacker _ , Adam observed. He's had both good and bad experiences with hackers and if this one could somehow hack individuals, then she needed to be stopped.

One swift movement of his arm and his nanoblade was out. In another moment before Vera could even react, he was there and she was in his grasp. A black metal hand was clenched strongly on the collar of her dingy shirt with his other arm drawn back and ready to end her.

But he hesitated and so did she.

Vera knew immediately now who this man was. It was the same man at the train station. The one she had ran into.

All Adam could see was scars on the left side of her face where the glass was and instead of a bloody mess of an eye now was a new, prosthetic golden one. Her right eye remained the same pale blue that he remembered. He remembered who she was. Even though she couldn't see his eyes, they fell to her hands which were clutching his. Pale, small, cold, frail fingers desperately clutched at his larger, black carbon hand.

“Please…,” Vera said in a low mumble. As soon as she realized who he was, she had switched off his info to her. She chose to trust Adam immediately and didn't want to delve into more of his past and secrets. 

Adam slowly put away his nanoblade but she still remained in his grasp. He remained there too long and didn't notice the two other guards walking into the room with them and the other unconscious body.

“Hey--!!” one yelled and raised their rifle immediately towards Adam but Vera had her hand raised to the man. Adam watched her fingers twitch and close before the man had turned to the other guard with him and hit him violently in the face with the blunt of the weapon, knocking him out cold before he then slammed his head against the wall to knock himself out next.

Adam wasn't sure of what he just witnessed but he looked back at the sick looking woman with him. “What did you do?”

Vera didn't know how to explain it so instead she answered, “I can help you. Just please take me away from here.” She noticed his grip lighten but his hand remained and so did her right one.

“Where to?” Adam asked. He didn't know this woman, or at least not on a personal level but the innocence he had seen in her now and at the train station was obvious. She was also now augmented and Adam knew that it couldn't have been by her choice. He saw her body. She wasn't in any state to speak for herself.

  
“Home.” Vera's voice broke as she answered.


	3. Chapter 3

She had asked Adam to take her home and he could do that, but didn't know if he should. Even if he didn't see her as a threat, how was he supposed to convince Miller that she wasn't trouble? Or even convince Chikane to let her on the VTOL?

Adam had questioned Vera quickly but thoroughly to deem which action he should take afterwards and while using his CASIE aug, he knew she wasn't lying to him. She was just a girl who was desperate to go home. She didn't belong in the hell known as the Utulek Complex. Besides, she proved to be useful by showing him all the backrooms and stealthier ways to get to where he needed. On top of that, Adam knew that she could provide some answers in case he couldn't get them all out of Talos Rucker.

As they rode the final elevator up, Adam noticed Vera constantly looking at him but with his shielded eyes, she didn't know that he aware of her actions. When he looked her over this time, he noticed all of her features now as the lighting within the elevator provided him with enough to notice every detail.

Vera's long black hair was still about the same as before, just a little grown out but way messier. Her bangs were cut to rest at the base of her eyes which the organic one was tinted with a red from possible lack of sleep, drug addiction, or from incessant crying; possibly all of the above. She had bags around her eyes and her skin was overall pale beyond normality as if she had been battling illness for a while now. She was thin even when he first saw her but now he could tell that the weight she had lost since their last encounter wasn't due to healthy means. The way she held herself in her ripped up clothes just screamed with insecurities and unease. She was scared and Adam assumed that she had been the entire time she had been at the Complex.

“Are you gonna kill him?” Vera asked quietly. It was the first full sentence she had spoke to him since they began travelling together.

Adam shook his head. “No, I don't plan on it. I just need to take him in for questioning.”

Vera chewed on her bottom lip for a second before asking another question. “Where you going to kill me?”

“If I needed to.” Adam answered honestly. Vera appreciated that despite how scary his response was.

The elevator dinged at the top and they both stepped out. Adam stopped ahead of her and when he looked back at Vera, she knew that he was needing to speak to Talos alone but even she could now read the unease on his face.

“It's alright,” Vera began. Even if he trusted her, she could always run and now alert the others to trap Adam. You never truly know someone and Adam knew all too well what it felt like to be betrayed. It was almost a daily thing for him now. “You can trust me,” Vera promised. “I trust you.”

Adam nodded after a moment before turning his back to her and approaching Rucker’s door. When he reached it, he slid the nanoblade out of his arm again and walked in.

Vera didn't keep track of time as she sat along the wall patiently for Adam. She only looked up from her position when the door to the office opened again finally. Before Vera could even get up, she could see Talos Rucker’s bloody corpse on the floor and Vera's eyes grew wide.

“I-I thought--” Vera stuttered in fear.

“We need to leave,” Adam interrupted impatiently. His tone was thick with aggravation.

Vera found herself almost unable to move. Maybe she wasn't too sure who she was accompanying. If he would have told her yes in the elevator about putting Rucker down then maybe she would accept the sight before her but when it comes to realization in the moment, she didn't cope well with it.

Adam was impatient but not with Vera. Someone had to have set him up; poisoned Rucker. Talos had agreed to come with him just before his unfortunate departure but now that his objective was failed, Vera was the only one left who was ready to give him answers and Adam was not willing to let her back out now. When he stepped out of the office and into the hallway Vera was in, she flinched from his approach and he stopped. She was scared of him.

From where he stood, he knew he had to be careful. “I didn't kill him,” Adam told. He held his metal hand out towards her even though she was out of reach. “I trusted you,” he spoke as she did to him, “Now trust me.”

Vera swallowed roughly and shakily stood up straight. She nodded to him and quickened her step to follow Adam as he now turned to walk the other way. When she had to pass by Rucker’s body, she was surprised when Adam stepped into her line of sight and placed his hand protectively on her upper back to nudge her along. He didn't want her to have to see the sight of the well loved and respected man's fate.

Adam moved fast but he never left Vera behind even when their cover was blown and they had to make a run for it. Adam had yelled for a man named Chikane and a VTOL flew around for them just in time. Vera flinched when the gunfire sounded but Adam made sure she was safe and grabbed her just before he jumped to board his flight. When he landed, he made sure Vera was steady before he let her go and turned around to those who had fired at them. Vera noticed a huge mass of a man standing at the center of the armed ARC members but he was too far for her eye to get a lock on him, though she knew without a doubt that he had to be the man from the other day. The same man who told Ivan to leave.

When the door closed, the pilot, Chikane, yelled back at them. Or more specifically, Adam, as he flew away. “What the fuck are you thinking, Jensen?! Who the hell is this?”

“A lead,” Adam bit out.

Vera made eye contact with Chikane as he looked back for a brief moment to look at her. Nothing came up on her display which let her know that the man wasn't augmented.

“That's not what you came here for,” Chikane was venomously angry, “this wasn't some fucking damsel in distress rescue mission. She's a fucking Aug! That you brought from ARC! How much does she know about us, Jensen?”

Adam cut off Vera's sight from the pilot as he stood in the entryway to the front. He wasn't in the mood for Chikane’s attitude. “She has information about the bombing and we made a deal. I get her to Prague and she tells us what she knows.”

Chikane laughed with pure disbelief, “Do you even hear yourself? Are you that fucking stupid, Jensen?! Of course she wants to go back! She's a terrorist!”

“I'll take full responsibility for her actions,” Adam gambled; too pissed off to continue this debate. “She's not going to be a problem.”

Chikane exhaled loudly. The relationship between the two was definitely not the best. Vera was closer to those in ARC she never even talked to. Chikane spoke again, “Fine, whatever. Just at least blindfold her."

Adam agreed with Chikane’s terms. It would be best if Vera didn't see where they landed at least. When he turned back to their passenger, Vera was already looking down. She felt too uncomfortable and awkward.

Vera only looked up when Adam's boots sounded ahead of her. In his hand was a thick black cloth and Vera nodded to him, “Go ahead.”

Adam securely tied the blindfold on around Vera's eyes and made sure she couldn't see anything before he then touched her wrist. Vera tensed from the contact but calmed when Adam assured her that everything was alright. He made her sit forward as he then restrained both her hands behind her back, again, just in case she did try to do something but by this point, Adam was 99% positive that she meant no harm. She didn't fight him in any steps of the way.

When they landed at their destination, the back of the VTOL was left open so they could keep their eyes on Vera the entire time the three talked, or more like, the entire time Adam got his ass chewed out by a man named Miller.

“I can't believe this,” Miller was on Chikane’s side. “Talos Rucker is suddenly dead and you decide to bring this girl back?! What information does she even have? Have you asked her?”

“Like I told him,” Adam regarded Chikane, “We made an agreement.” Adam suddenly pulled a pocket secretary out of his pocket and handed it to Miller, explaining what it was as he did, “This is what Rucker gave me before he died. He suspects that someone within ARC was working against him. This is everything he had built up to prove it and prove ARC is innocent.” Adam now looked towards Vera who hadn't moved, “And I suspect she can tell us more.”

Miller looked over the pocket secretary before responding. His anger was mellowing out but he was still very clearly upset by the whole ordeal. He sighed. Miller had enough to stress over. “Alright.” he looked up at Jensen, “We'll set up a private and secure room for her questioning just to be safe. I'll phone it in now. As for this,” he spoke about the evidence, “I'll have this sent in and analyzed.”

\--

Night was falling but the day was far from over. Other Interpol agents showed up for Vera's questioning as she was moved to a separate area, a secluded storage locker to be exact. One big enough to place a table and chairs along with sound equipment and cameras for recording.

Vera was unbound and able to see again but sat stiffly with her hands on the table for the woman sitting across from her to see. Vera looked worse for wear as she appeared overly fatigued. She wanted another hit of Neon. The desire and early stages of withdrawal were making her skin burn and her stomach twist.

“We're waiting,” the woman spoke, disregarding how rough the augmented woman looked. “Do you have information about the bombing of Ruzicka Station or not?”

Vera met the woman's eyes.  _ Yes _ , she thought but she was wary of the woman and the other man who stood silently in the corner with them. Her mouth was dry as she spoke softly, “I do. …. But what will happen to me when I tell you? I have…,” she trailed off. She wanted to see her father. Go home. She had to go home. She doubted that she would be given much sympathy. She knew she was innocent but she gathered enough to know that all of ARC were suspected terrorists and so she was forced into that inclusion.

“That depends on how much you're willing to cooperate.” The woman answered.

“I want to go home.” Vera went ahead and made clear. She wasn't being demanding or trying to be difficult. She just wanted that to be known before she talked.

“You have no passport,” the man in the room spoke. “If we let you just leave, you'll be detained and sent back to Golem before the morning.”

From the monitor set up in the storage unit beside the one Vera resided in, Adam and Miller stood, along with others, watching. When Vera was informed of her possible fate, he could see any last trace of hope drain from her pale face. He was growing agitated. The other two weren't helping his cause by scaring her into  _ not _ talking.

Vera had her eyes back on her hands. Subconsciously, she had began to rub her fingertips with her thumbs. She wanted to talk but she grew to frightened of the possibilities ahead of her. It could turn out to be a set up and she wouldn't make it out of the confines of her interrogation cell. She could be arrested or even executed. Maybe she could go home but that outcome was a cruel joke.

“Listen,” the woman leaned in and made Vera look up, “We can't help you if you don't help us. We can possibly look into getting you a temporary passport but you need to talk to us.”

That put some light in Vera's eyes and she nodded. “I know who bombed Ruzicka Station. And yes, he was a part of ARC.”

That got the attention of everyone, within and observing the room.

“His name is Ivan Berk.”

The woman nodded with gratitude over Vera's cooperation but pressed, “Where is Ivan?”

Vera's face fell and she regretted her next words even if they were true, “I don't know.”

To what she feared, the two interrogators became evidently impatient. 

“The last I saw him,” Vera began, “another man came and told him to leave. He warned Ivan.” Before they could ask, Vera already shook her head, “I-I don't know who the other man was. I just know that he was big. He was a very big man. Tall. Like a walking tank.”

_ Viktor Marchenko, _ Adam thought. It had to be him who she was talking about.

“Last you saw him?” The woman echoed. “So you are affiliated with the bomber then?”

Vera immediately shook her head defensively, “N-no! I knew him indirectly. M-my dad! My dad is head of police. Artyom Severov. I was there when Ivan got detained and sent to the Utulek Complex. Ivan knew I was Artyom’s daughter.” Vera hesitated when she saw the woman doubt her words. She almost pleaded now, “ _ Please _ …., I was in the attack. I nearly died. Ask--” Vera leaned back as she looked up at the cameras. Adam made eye contact with her through the screen. “Ask Adam. He saw me there. I saw him in the station when it got hit.”

Adam wasn't sure how she had known his name but disregarded that at the moment when Miller looked at him for confirmation. “It's true.” Adam said. “I saw her body.”

Vera saw the woman tilt her head with a finger to her earpiece. She was silent for only a second before she nodded. “Okay,” the woman began, “So Ivan pulled you from the wreckage. But that doesn't mean you're innocent or ARC. Infact, that only makes you seem more in on it. Maybe Ivan didn't know you were there-- one of his own accidentally caught in the blast.”

Vera's cheeks flushed with color for the first time in a long time as anger started to boil. She was not a terrorist! In the hype, Vera unintentionally hit her hands on the table, provoking the other two as she defended herself. “No! I was like you! A natural! Ivan bombed the station but pulled my corpse out when he saw who I was! He hates my family! He wanted revenge! It was personal for him!” She lifted her left hand and looked at it as she continued, “They made me augmented! They put these wierd….,” Vera's voice gradually dwindled away as she still looked at her hand. “They.. th-they…,” her hand dropped. Something was wrong.

“Something's wrong.” Adam quickly said.

“What?” Miller quickly spoke.

Vera found herself clutching her chest as an overwhelming pain shot through her body and made her ears ring to the point where she literally couldn't understand any of the words being spoken to her. She tried not to but gasped out loudly in pain and she began to curl in on herself.

She didn't see the door to the storage unit open to Adam and Miller rushing in.

“What's happening to her?” Miller questioned as Adam was the first to reach her.

Adam made Vera sit back in her chair and allowed her to clutch onto his shoulder with one hand. Vera was grateful to see Adam but was shocked to see his eyes. Augmented like hers, but of much nicer quality. They were beautiful. Albeit artificial, they were kind and concerned.

“Vera,” it was the first time he had spoken her name. “What's wrong?”

Vera couldn't answer. She tried but more pained noises erupted but she tugged at her shirt collar, pulling the loose fabric down enough to reveal a scar on her chest. She managed to poke the scar before she curled over again in pain.

“Quick!” Miller ordered, “We need a doctor!”

_ No time _ , Adam thought. He knew they were close to his Aug expert, Vaclav Koller. If anyone could find out what's wrong, he could. “I know someone.” Adam quickly said to Miller. “My doctor. Let me take her to him.”

Miller nodded without a second thought. He couldn't lose this lead to whatever was going on. He trusted Adam enough to know that he would bring her back, regardless of what had just happened in Golem City. “Go!”

Adam nodded his thanks and immediately scooped Vera up into his arms before running past his boss and co-workers. On his way to Koller’s cave, Adam gave the doctor a quick call.

  
“Koller,” Adam spoke without waiting for acknowledgment. “You have an appointment.  _ Now. _ ”


	4. Chapter 4

When Adam looked down at Vera after he had dropped them into the secret sewer entrance to Koller’s workshop, activating Icarus landing, she was already unconscious. Most likely from the pain. Koller had acknowledged Adam's request and when Adam had rushed into the shop to the patient doctor, Koller was more than surprised to see a woman in his arms.

Adam laid Vera in Koller’s special chair as he spoke, “There's something in her sending a signal out in her body. I need you to remove it.”

“Um,” Koller was still surprised and spoke with forced enthusiasm, confusion triumphing his act, “You got it man!” He rushed to Vera's side to hook her up to the gas for the surgery. “Uhh,” Koller looked over at Adam who was watching, “Who is she?”

“Someone who has answers I need, Koller,” Adam spoke bitterly. He needed the doctor to work, not talk.

Koller nodded as he took the hint. Adam told him how she had pointed at her chest and when the doctor looked at her scar, he then carefully removed her shirt. When the scar fell to be between her breasts, he remained fully professional as he had to remove her bra as well before he attached a scalpel to his right hand.

\--

When Vera woke, she let out a groan of pain first thing. It wasn't the same pain as earlier. Her bones hurt all through her body. She desperately craved Neon. She wanted to drown in it.

Her eyes opened to an unknown ceiling and when she sat up, she felt what seemed like a shower curtain slide off her body, exposing her revealed chest. Vera quickly covered her breasts when she realized she was topless and also regarded the fresh, sore scar on her chest. She was cut open again.

Vera looked around at the cave she was in. She was alone and on a platform with equipment all around her, pictures, scans, and blood. When she weakly stood to step away from the chair she was in, she noticed that there was a pulled out couch to be a bed and a computer desk with several monitors. Writing and posters lined every bit of the walls and when she looked down a hallway, she saw a dead end. The other end being an elevator.

Vera started to panic. Where was she? Last thing she remembered was her interrogation. Now it looked as though she was in a Harvester’s den. She saw a heap of dirty clothes piled on the floor and retrieved a long sleeve, red plaid shirt and threw it on, buttoning it up to cover herself. When she almost ran to the elevator, she froze when she heard it descending to her level. She needed to hide. Vera hastily looked around. There was nowhere to run. The other end was just bricks. She slid around the corner towards the computer and hugged herself tight under the desk.

She stayed quiet and listened. The elevator door opened and she heard someone walking along, humming contently to himself. She ran her thumb over her right hand. She never had to use the augments in her right hand until now.

Vera ever so slowly peeked her head out just enough to see a man that was very unique to say the least. He had a long coat on with silver spike studs on the shoulders and a poster safety pinned to his back. His hair was thick and wavy but shaved on the back to show his spinal augmentation on the back of his head to run down his back.

When the man noticed Vera missing, he flinched, “What?! Where--”

Vera had the electric charges already coursing through her right hand when she popped out and grabbed the man's neck. Koller locked up, metal fingers curling to a fist and teeth grit as he was basically tazed. The moment became drastically cut short however as soon as Vera felt someone wrap their arm around her throat and forcefully yank her away from the first man. When she reacted to grab the second with her right hand, she yelped as she felt the back of her knees kicked, forcing her to drop to her knees before both of her hands became restrained behind her back by an impenetrable force.

“Relax,” Adam spoke with his unique voice, “It's me. I need you to calm down.” When he felt Vera's muscles relax, he cautiously released her and helped her stand again.

Koller caught his breath as he recovered from his attack. Rubbing his neck roughly, he turned to Vera with a surprising wide smile on his face. “Holy shit, that was cool! I didn't realize that's what that aug was! I didn't have the chance to actually look yet!”

Vera took an obvious step back when Koller quickly stepped closer to her. The way his eyes shone as he looked at her was enough to say that he was fascinated. Vera didn't like, but didn't fight, Koller taking her right hand and looking at her fingers. His metal fingers applying pressure every now and then as if he were studying it.

As the doctor had his head down, Vera stared at the top of his head. Vaclav Koller. 27. Self augmented and augmented his whole life. He didn't suffer from the incident 2 years prior. Working with the Dvali--

Vera jerked her hand away from Koller immediately, surprising him. Her left hand quickly shut as she turned Koller’s bio off. He was Dvali. And she assaulted him. She didn't think she could feel any more sick with how much she fucked up.

When she looked at Adam, he asked, “What's wrong?”

Vera couldn't find the words to respond. Was Adam Dvali too? Surely he had to know that Koller was. She knew all too well what happened to those on the wrong side of the Dvali and she didn't want to join them.

“Yeah, you look spooked,” Koller added in. Still not sure what scared her.

“I-I’m,” her eyes found Koller’s brown ones, “sorry. I'm so sorry for attacking you.”

Koller smiled broadly and dismissed her words, “Ah, don't worry about it. I know my place isn't the most inviting and waking up here could be kinda scary. You were defending yourself. Buuuttt,” he dragged out as he pointed to her chest with his right hand, “You did bleed on my shirt. You must have opened the wound.”

_ His shirt _ , Vera paled even more. Koller acted friendly enough but was it genuine? She looked down and touched her chest through his shirt just to confirm his words. She was bleeding; her fingers wet with red as she pulled her hand back. She managed another look at Adam but with his shielded eyes, she couldn't tell what he was thinking. He was emotionless.

“Are you okay?” Adam asked her.

Vera answered but because she felt as though she needed to, “Y-yeah, I'm fine.”

Adam knew she was lying but didn't want to press the matter. Not now at least. “Can you still answer our questions?” he was referring to the interrogation.

Vera nodded shakily. “Yeah I can.”

“Good.” Adam said. He then regarded Koller, “let him fix your wound and we'll go.”

Vera's face gave away her true emotions now after Adam spoke. She didn't want to be near Koller but the way Adam had regarded the other man showed that he had no problem with the doctor. When Vera looked back at the man who was just a year older than her, he gave her a cheeky smile before motioning her to follow him.

Vera followed the doctor back to the chair she had woken up in and sat hesitantly back down in it. Her hands clutched the armrest as he leaned her back slowly so she was looking up at him over her. When he began unbuttoning her, or actually  _ his _ , shirt, she quickly grabbed his hand. She was too frightened of what might come.

“I'm sorry,” she said again, low enough for him to hear her.

Koller sighed and his smile was gone, “I'm not going to hurt you.”

“I didn't …,” Vera had to swallow her fear, “know you were Dvali. I was just frightened.”

Koller didn't respond at first. Instead, his bloodshot brown eyes were wide as he looked into her blue and golden ones. He finally lifted his hand away from hers and pointed slightly at her eye, “Did that show you things about me?”

“Maybe..?” Vera answered cautiously.

The smile couldn't be held back any longer on Koller’s face, “That's crazy sweet! You've got to let me look more into these augs of yours! Who knows what they can do?” He put his hands together in a mock prayer, “Promise you'll come back once Jensen’s done with you?”

Vera didn't understand the man but her answer was half a joke, half plea as she spoke, “Just as long as you don't harvest me.” She didn't fight him this time as he went back to unbuttoning her top. He moved his shirt enough to get to her wound but to not expose her this time.

“Wouldn't dream of it,” Koller responded as he worked with careful hands on her chest, stitching the wound. “Although..,” he spoke lowly but kept his eyes on his work, “You shouldn't do so much drugs. They can really fuck with your system. The augments make any reaction to them worse.” he laughed slightly, “I can't really say much though.”

“That obvious, huh?” Vera spoke lowly, almost sadly.

Koller looked up at her now, “No offense, but have you looked at yourself lately?”

Vera shook her head, “I haven't seen myself since this happened to me.”

“Seriously?” Koller said in disbelief. “Well, I mean, you're still really pretty--” He stopped quickly when he realized that he just hit on her and her cheeks became flushed with light color too. When she didn't respond, he returned to his work and was done in no time.

“W-well,” Koller said quickly and stood up, still feeling awkward from his comment, “all done!”

Vera sat up carefully and buttoned Koller’s shirt back up before standing. As she did, she looked at  a group of pictures from recent scans clipped to a board. She would have disregarded them if not for the familiar looking augmentations in the hands of the body and the eye. What made Vera go cold was how much augmentations were in the scanned body.

Jensen could read the horror on her face like an open book and he couldn't help but feel all too familiar with the emotions that ran through her. He took a few steps closer as Koller noticed her reaction too.

Vera forgot about the other two in the room as her fingers, trembling, touched one photo of her torso scan. Her lungs and heart weren't real anymore. Her eyes slid over the limb scans, the ones of her arms and legs, and not only were her hands plated with metal under the skin like she knew, but the augs ran up her entire arms and her legs alike to her spine. Her feet were the same as her hands.

“What did they do to me?” Vera spoke out loud brokenly but to herself. “I'm not even me anymore….” She didn't turn her head when Koller spoke up.

“Hey man,” the doctor began, “being augmented isn't that bad. Sure, the world is kinda shitty now but there are still things that can make it great. Being an Aug isn't the end.”

Vera blinked her eyes quickly and jerked her head downwards as she felt the tears fall. She didn't mean for them too. They just did. She couldn't help it. She didn't feel human anymore. She didn't know what she was. She quickly pressed her palms to her eyes to stop the crying.

Jensen knew they couldn't say anything right now to help so he changed the subject, “It's time to go.”

Vera looked in their direction but not at either one of the men after Adam spoke and nodded her head. When she walked by, Koller spoke again, “I'd still love to look at those augs if that's cool.”

“Not helping,” Adam quickly said as he took Vera and left out the secret entrance with her. She noted how there really was another exit to Koller’s cave but could care less at the moment.

Adam waited for Vera to finish climbing the ladder before walking ahead again. It was daylight now. Adam stopped walking and looked back when she wasn't moving.

“So I'll ask you,” she began, not making eye contact. “What's going to happen to me? After I answer your questions? I'm innocent, Adam, I promise. I don't know if you believe me or not but I am and all I want is to go home. I want to see my father and forget everything. Maybe one day I can act like everything is normal again but right now, everything is fucked up.”

Adam stared at her for a few heartbeats. “I believe you,” he finally said. “I'll make sure you get a temporary passport for the time being.” He started to turn to walk away but stopped again. “You had an implant in your heart that was activated like a kill switch. I suspect someone was listening and when you started speaking about your augments, they activated it. There was also one in your head.” 

Vera now looked up at him as she touched her head lightly where she could feel a small scar. “What am I Adam? Am I a weapon? An experiment? … Am I even human anymore?”

The silence that fell between them was harsh. Adam couldn't give her the answers she needed due to his beliefs and personal experiences. He had had those thoughts plague his mind endlessly when he first became augmented. He too didn't know who he was anymore at one point. It was a new set of depression to see someone else go through what he had but that just made him want to help her more. He had fought away his demons and became who he was because of it. He wanted to be a savior.

  
“You're human Vera.” Adam said, almost as if he was telling himself that too. “Don't you ever doubt that.”


	5. Chapter 5

Vera answered all the questions she could, defended herself when she needed and explained other things when called for but her energy was gone and the Interpol agents could see that. They hooked her to machines, lie detectors, and Vera swore they were disappointed when they couldn't get dirt on her. Maybe they were tired and desperate to just be over with this terror. Vera wanted it to be over too. She found herself looking at her arms more than once and feeling along them. She couldn't feel the metal like she could in her fingertips but she knew it was there. As well as her lungs and heart; was it necessary to change those? And why?

_ Why couldn't I have just died? _ She thought to herself even as the Interpol agent was speaking.

Eventually, she was released. She didn't even realize that Adam wasn't there anymore and didn't notice when he had left. Probably had things he had to do.

“So what now?” Vera found herself asking the woman who had questioned her mostly.

“You can go.” The woman stated.

Vera knew she couldn't just do that. She had no paperwork, no pass. She'd be detained immediately. “Can I get a temp-pass? Just until I can get home and get my own?”

For answering all their questions and for so long, the woman nodded right away, “Of course. It'll take a bit though. Maybe an hour or so.” She then handed Vera a note, “Agent Jensen left this for you. Seems he was right about you this whole time.”

Vera looked over the note in her hand and noticed that it was an address. She had never been there but she had lived in Prague her whole life so she knew where it was at and knew that it wasn't far. She should be able to get there without being stopped.

“I'll head here,” Vera stated. The woman nodded to her and she left.

It was still daylight but with the thick clouds it may as well have been night with how dark and grey the world was. Depressing.

Vera kept to the back roads and alleys and made it to the apartment complex listed in the address and entered. As she walked up the steps, she ended up faltering in her movement and hit the wall she was by. Luckily, no one was around which is what she wanted as she groaned in pain. Again, her bones hurt; skin burned. She felt sweat form on her dirty skin and she had a loss of breath. The wave of pain was hitting her harder than normal. As she gasped for air past her chapped lips, she desperately craved another hit of color. That's what she needed; it felt like she was dying without it.

When the pain finally eased up enough, she began ascending the steps again. As if a miracle, she noticed a door to an apartment open and the conversation about Neon was heard before the person entering closed the door.

Her crave drove her actions as she began walking closer to the door but she forced herself to stop even if the demons screamed in her head to continue. This was a bad idea. She had no money, no way to pay for anything and there were certain methods of payment that she wouldn't stoop to, no matter how desperate.

With a disappointed rub of her jaw, Vera made herself look away from the apartment to walk up the stairs to her original destination.

It was the very last apartment on the very top floor. As she stood outside, she hesitated before knocking. Was it just another interrogation room? If so she could answer more questions if needed even if she didn't want to. As she raised her hand, a man spoke from behind her.

“I wasn't sure if you'd actually come.” Adam said.

Vera was startled at first by the sudden voice but relaxed when she saw who it was from. As she faced the tall, older man, she spoke, “I thought you wanted me to.”

Adam nodded. He was holding a bag in his hand. “I was told that your pass might take awhile to get so I thought that you might want to have a change of clothes,” he lifted the bag to indicate what the contents were, “and maybe a shower.”

Vera was pretty much surprised. She stole a glance at the door before looking back and saying, “This is your place?”

Adam nodded, “Feel free to say no. I'm not trying to make you uncomfortable. I just thought--”

“N-no, it's fine,” Vera interrupted with a small, awkward smile on her face. She knew her cheeks were flushed lightly with color and that embarrassed her more but she tried to talk through it, “I appreciate it actually.”

Adam gave her a small smile, or at least she's pretty sure he did, before he walked beside her and punched in the room code before walking into his apartment. As he walked in, he took his coat off casually- Vera now noticing that he was filthy too from whatever he had been out doing- and pointed down the hallway. “Bathroom’s there. Towels are in there too.”

Vera nodded and stopped when he handed her the bag he had. She peeked in and saw a bundle of clothes with tags. Something in her chest turned when she realized that he had bought her stuff. She wasn't a girl of vanity or avarice, but just the act was sweet of him even if she didn't know why he would waste his time on a junkie like her.

“Thanks Adam…,” Vera said lowly before giving him a small smile and turning to where he had indicated. When she entered the bathroom, she didn't mean to, but managed to steal a glance of herself in the mirror. Vera whipped her head away quickly after she got just a glimpse of her gold eye and she felt her heart rate increase dramatically.

She hadn't looked at herself since before the bombing. She was terrified of what she was and didn't know if she could accept it. She put her hand over her chest, over the scar through Vaclav’s shirt that she still wore. How could she expect her father to accept the sight of her if she couldn't? She thought of how she would finally get to go home and that gave her enough courage to turn back around to the looking glass.

Vera parted her lips in a silent gasp as she took in her sight. Leaning closer to the mirror over the sink, she lightly touched the left side of her face where scars were lined around her eye and along the eyelid. What she wasn't aware of was the black dot and line along her forehead over the left eye that disappeared in her hair. Her other eye, the blue one, was bloodshot and both eyes were lined with black and purple bags along her ill, pale face. Koller was right. She did look like an addict and she couldn't have felt more pathetic over that. 

Vera felt sick as she pulled herself away from the mirror quickly. How could she have let herself get this far and this weak? She had never done drugs in her life; only drank occasionally. She felt that she should have been strong enough to resist the Neon that Ivan got her hooked to but she had to put the blame on everything else: Ivan, her accident, her augmentations, the world and all its shittiness. She was better than this.

Vera didn't know she had started to cry until the tears hit her jawline but she immediately wiped them away. She couldn't let her father see her in this state. No more Neon. No more crying. Vera needed to be her old self. Even if she was now augmented.

She had entered the large, glass shower and began bathing when her thoughts drifted towards her withdrawals and how she would beat them. As if cursing her, Vera curled over in pain suddenly as another agonizing wave hit her.

“F-fuck….” Vera panted and clutched her hands around her torso. It hurt. It hurt even more now than before and she didn't think that was possible. Vera made herself sit in the shower with the water hitting the top of her head as she held onto herself tightly.

After what had to be forever, the pain finally decided to subside but not without forcing her hands to shake from the outcome. Weakly, Vera stood back up. Catching her breath, she continued to wash up.

When she was done with the shower, she emptied the clothes she was gifted and noticed that there were two different outfits for her to choose from as well as a new bra and underwear. Vera's cheeks flushed a little bit as she lifted the bra and saw that it was the right size for her. Adam must have been there before she had woken up topless or something. When she thought about how he had possibly seen her half naked made her cheeks burn hotter with embarrassment and developing feelings.

She caught herself as her mind tried to drift to thoughts of the heavily augmented man. Sure, he was good looking- or actually  _ very _ good looking- and he was tall and kind and strong--

Vera shook her head while silently scolding herself.  _ Stop _ . She didn't need to think of Adam in that way. Instead, she dressed in the tank top and baggy cargos she was given. The pants were just one size too big but there was also a belt to keep them on. He even got her bands to put her hair up in. What was left was a long sleeve shirt, some tights, a jacket and some boots. She slipped the boots on before leaving the bathroom, putting her dirty clothes in the bag with the new ones on her arm.

Her hair was still down; the bow just around her wrist as she walked out into his living room area where Adam sat idle on the couch, drinking a glass of whiskey. Last Vera saw, it was still the early in the day but she wouldn't make a comment. She assumed a druggy wouldn't have room to talk about someone's habits.

“Everything fit?” Adam asked as he looked up at her approaching his side.

“Yeah, thanks again.” She said.

Adam nodded. “I had Aria help me decide what to get you. She's someone I work with.” he downed his glass before standing. “You mind staying a while? I need a shower too.”

“Yeah, sure,” Vera spoke as he got up. She watched him walk by and stood around for a good while before finally taking a seat on the couch. She could hear the shower running and she kept her hands on her knees as she looked around. There were still unpacked boxes lying around, a cover still mainly covering the couch and nothing but cereal boxes lining the kitchen counters.

Vera looked ahead at the coffee table in front of her and examined the picture of a dog on it and smiled faintly at it. Her eyes drifted to a stack of papers next to it, or more like, a script written by a man named Francis Pritchard and a red pen laying beside it.

When she was about to flip the page to begin reading, she heard the shower cut off. As Vera turned her head to look at Adam exiting the bathroom, she found her eyes glued to the man. He walked out with pants, his back to her as he made his way to his bedroom, and no shirt on. His well toned body glistened attractively by the few water droplets that still resided but she found herself staring at his arms. She had never seen a man so augmented before and so nicely done at that.

By the time Adam walked out of his bedroom with a shirt on, Vera was still staring. When their eyes met, Vera quickly looked away with embarrassment.

“Uhm,” she began awkwardly, “What did you need me to stick around for?”

Adam walked around and grabbed a chair from the table as he did to sit down near her, just not on the couch.

“There's something I need to know.”

Vera rubbed the back of her neck as she still felt too odd to make full eye contact with him now, even if he did have his shades over his eyes, “Of course. What is it?”

“You said someone warned Ivan,” Adam began. He only paused due to her flustered nature immediately draining and her facial expression revealing something else. Disappointment. Irony. Annoyance. “I need to know who.”

Vera was rubbing her thumbs along her knuckles now instead of her neck, “What, you don't believe me? I don't know.”

“I do believe you,” Adam stated. “But would a name ring a bell?”

Vera shook her head, “Probably not, no.”

“Viktor Marchenko.” Adam spoke clearly.

Vera just shook her head again. “I told you no.”

Adam exhaled silently and looked down for only a moment, “Yesterday you said that it was a big man who warned him.”

“Yeah, he was huge,” Vera said. Then she remembered, “I'm pretty sure it was the guy who we saw before we flew off with your pilot. The only one out of all the guys shooting us who fits the description.”

That was all Adam needed to confirm his suspicions. Viktor Marchenko was a part of the bombing, and that might now be enough to prove that he's behind the gold mask mercs that attacked him in Dubai. “So you did know something more.”

Vera narrowed her eyes a bit with offense. “And you said you believed me.”

“I do--”

“No you don't.” Vera stated blandly. “If you did, you wouldn't be hiding your eyes. You're afraid that they'll betray you. So instead, you try the friendly approach. Buy me things, try to be seductive. But the truth is, you're just behind an asshole.”

Adam was taken aback by her words. She made sense to him but that wasn't his intentions or why he did what he did. He wanted to help her and about being seductive….? Adam couldn't see himself in that light anymore. Not after the accident. Not after Megan.

“That's not what I was doing,” Adam promised. He really wasn't. It had been a very long time since he's been with anyone and after everything that had happened between him and Megan, he couldn't find himself able to move on. He still loved her and he didn't know why. He couldn't let her go. Because of that, maybe he didn't realize he was behaving incorrectly around another woman.

“Okay.” Vera stated. She didn't want to fight even if she did briefly snap and he could tell that she didn't believe his words now. “I'm sorry, Adam,” she began, “but I just want to go home. See my father. I want to be done with all of this.

Adam nodded. He understood what she was saying and didn't stop her right away when she stood up now to leave, leaving the new clothes she wasn't wearing on the couch.

When she made it to the door, Adam stood and spoke, “Where are you going?”

“To see if that pass is ready,” she stated. She only looked over at him as he approached her side.

“Can I ask one more thing of you,” Adam began, “and then we can be done?”

Vera sighed. She wasn't bitter towards him anymore. Infact, she still felt warmly about the man. He saved her. She owed him her life. Even if she tried to hide it, of course she would do anything he asked of her. “What is it?”

“Go see Koller.” Adam said. “Let him figure out what your augments are and what they can do. It might give Interpol more answers we need and it could help bring you closure if you understand what you're capable of.”

Vera nodded after a few heartbeats of silence. She looked into his eyes; unaware of when he had retracted his shades and was still made breathless by the sight of them. They were so unique and beautiful. She had seen augmented eyes before- she had one now- but none compared to his. Her heart rate had raised in tempo and she wondered if he could tell that.

  
“I'll go see him,” Vera promised.


	6. Chapter 6

Adam had at least convinced Vera to let him wash her old clothes and for her to take the new ones which she did. As she headed to the Překážka district with her new papers, she was only stopped once and grateful that the officer didn't recognize her. She knew a good bit of the people on the police force but not all. Regardless, she didn't want any hype until after she had seen her father.

It was going on six o'clock when she made it to her house. She didn't live anywhere extravagant and she couldn't help but smile at the excitement and nerves that spiraled throughout her body as she looked at her house. It was two stories, white, with a few potted plants outside the front door and two trees in the front yard. She assumed that her father wasn't home due to no cars being in the driveway.

Vera walked up to the front door but stopped at one of the potted plants and dug her fingers into the soil until she felt something hard and metal within. Pulling out the spare key to the house, she cleaned it off before letting herself in.

At first, it was like walking into a stranger's home when she stepped inside and she huddled the coat around herself from how cold her father liked to keep the house. She was in the living room and noticed a little memorial over the small fireplace along one end of the wall. In the center was a framed picture of herself. Beside it was a vase of flowers that looked recently placed.

Vera's fought the urge to cry at the sight and instead smiled at the long awaited reunion that would ensue. As she walked around her home, she made her way to the laptop lying in the kitchen on a counter before opening it.

Vera opened the browser to get into her email just to see if anything interesting was in there but saw that her father's email was still logged into. The most recent one had already been read and was still pulled up. As Vera just skimmed through it, she saw that it was about her dad's work schedule. Since Talos Rucker died, Golem City is on the verge of chaos and her father was asked to go help with the mayhem but should be home by the morning.

“Well then,” Vera spoke lowly to herself. “I guess that gives me time to do the other things I had planned.”

She closed the laptop and decided to now make her way to her bedroom. When she opened the door, she wasn't exactly surprised to see it untouched. Her easel was in the corner with blank canvases lying against the wall behind it. Her bed was made but her bookshelf was empty of all the sketchbooks she had. She had taken those, along with her favorite set of clothes, with her the day of the bombing. She couldn't help but feel like she lost a loved one to the thought of her artwork gone.

Vera approached a separate, thin dresser beside her bed and opened the top drawer to rummage around. She dug through a bunch of useless junk she had hoarded within until she found an old, deactivated cell phone. All she would have to do is reactivate it and she'd be able to get ahold of people again. Slipping the phone in her back pocket, she then collapsed on her bed and stared at the ceiling to her room.

A wide, sad, excited, nervous, scared happy smile spread on her lips.

“I'm home.” Vera spoke softly.

\--

Vera kept the spare key with her when she left and grabbed one of her old over the shoulder bags to keep some of her things in. Before she left, she had taken some money that she had saved away in her safe that was in her closet. She guessed that no matter what, she'd always find her way home. That's why she didn't take the credits with her when she decided to move.

She made her way back to the district that she was sure Koller was at. Even if it wasn't her ideal destination, Adam had asked her to go and she said she would. Her dad wouldn't be back until the morning so she thought she might as well get the visit over with.

It was night now when she walked down back alleyways and finally opened a gate to enter another part of town. She remembered leaving a secret entrance to Koller’s workshop and knew it was in a sewer but she honestly wasn't too sure on which manhole it was. She was too upset that day and didn't even bother to observe her surroundings. When she was in the area that had to be where his shop was, she looked around. The only noticeable building that stood out was the bookstore called The Time Machine. She knew of its existence but never actually been there.

Shrugging away her search, she decided to approach the building even if all the lights were off and a dingy, weak Sorry We're Closed sign hung in the window. Vera only hesitated when she saw enough of the inside. The whole store was wiped. Books all over the floor, shelves knocked over and tables broken.

“What happened?” Vera muttered. She pushed the door open anyways and walked in.

Vera stepped over several books and cautiously made her way up the stairs to the second floor. As she continued on, she saw a sign pointing to what had to be the owner's office. Turning her head to look around the corner, she saw that shelves blocked the entrance way but she crouched to walk under them. Sure enough, there was an open door to an office.

Only now did Vera flick a light switch to illuminate the dark room and saw the desk with a nameplate reading: Vaclav Koller.

_ Well, I'm in the right place I guess _ , Vera thought. She looked around his office and saw how much of an utter mess it all was. It was as if someone outside had done the damage. No way would someone destroy their own belongings like this.

Vera sighed and slipped her bag off from over her shoulder before setting it on the floor. She took one of her hair bows and pulled her hair into a ponytail before picking up the first stack of books. Koller had saved her from whatever was attacking her. She decided that she might as well pay him back somehow. She didn't have anything else to currently do anyways.

\--

Even if the nights in Prague were chilly, Vera had to remove her coat as she worked and became too heated. Wearing the tank top still, the cold air that filled the wrecked bookshop felt good on her skin while she worked. She had finished successfully cleaning Koller’s office and started to work just right outside of it when she faintly heard the front door to the store from downstairs open.

Almost tripping over yet more books, Vera made her way to the balcony and peered over in time to see Vaclav walking up the steps with a sealed package in his hands.

“Hey!” Vera called down to him but quickly covered her mouth when she saw that she startled the doctor, making him drop his package.

Koller quickly looked up and saw the black figure. He knew that it was female but frightened nerves couldn't help but shoot through his body. “Wh-who is that?!”

“I don't think,” Vera responded from where she was; watching him descend down the steps and to a light switch, “I've ever told you my name.”

When the lights came on and Vaclav saw who it was, a broad smile stretched on his face from ear to ear. “Hey! What are you doing? Here to let me look at those augs?”

Vera nodded as she was descending down the steps too. She reached his package before he did and picked it up. “Yeah. Adam suggested that it be a good idea.” She handed him the box when he approached her and couldn't fight a small smile of her own by how friendly and genuine his was. “I'm sorry for scaring you.”

Vaclav dismissed her with a shake of his head and a wave of his hand, “Don't worry about it. I'm glad that it's you.” His eyes looked at her face and he noted how she still looked slightly stung out from her drug addiction but she now had color in her face and she appeared happier now. Her pale blue eye not bloodshot anymore, instead, the light shone off of it prettily and her golden eye spiraling every now and then like a camera lense. He also noticed how cute she looked with her hair in a lazy ponytail. She was beautiful.

“You're staring,” Vera awkwardly confronted him.

Koller snapped out of his trance and chuckled lightly, “Sorry. You just look different.”

“Good I hope?” Vera asked.

_ Amazing _ , Koller thought. “Happy,” he said.

Vera nodded with a shy smile. The moment drug on for too many heartbeats. “Oh!” she quickly piped up as she remembered, “I have something of yours.” She motioned him to follow as she turned up the stairs. She also spoke up to break the uncomfortable moment.

Koller started to follow but his eyes drifted to her lower body as she ascended the steps. He quickly and quietly cleared his throat as he forcefully looked away.  _ Unprofessional Vaclav. Very unprofessional. _

They remained silent during their short walk to his office and when she opened the door to the room, Vaclav audibly sucked in his breath from the sight.

“Did you do this?” he asked as he quickly walked around the room, taking in the nice sight. Even before the Dvali attack, his office was never clean.

“I hope you don't mind,” Vera spoke. “I didn't take anything. All your papers are in a stack on your desk,” she pointed to a couch in the office, “I stacked the books there in case there were certain ones you needed. I didn't want to misplace anything but it was the least I could do.”

Vaclav looked at her now with his ever friendly smile, “Thanks. This is great!” He watched her lean over to dig through her bag before she pulled out his red plaid shirt.

“It's been washed,” Vera said, now changing the subject. She approached him and held the shirt to him, a bashful smile tugging at her lips, “I couldn't get the bloodstains completely out though….”

Vaclav grabbed his shirt as he spoke, “Don't worry about it. I have plenty,” he tugged at his own red plaid shirt he was wearing as proof. He wanted to compliment her appearance in the shirt but instead returned the focus to the real reason she was there. “Shall we go to the dungeon to look at those augs?”

“Yeah,” Vera agreed as she grabbed her coat from a chair and put it over her arm before sliding her bag on her shoulder. She stepped back to be closer to Koller again until he faced her.

“No peeking,” he said playfully with a wave of his metal finger.

Vera rolled her eyes with a smile as she turned her back to him. If he was really trying to hide something, he wouldn't have made it so obvious as to where his little hidden room was. She knew he was just messing around. She didn't move until she could hear the bookshelves sliding and his indication to follow him.

Vera stepped into an elevator with him and rode down to the super secret dungeon under his shop. When the doors opened to the bottom, it looked the exact same as she remembered it. As they walked around and she looked at his chair, the area still looked just as unsanitary as before.

“So inviting,” Vera said sarcastically.

“Hey,” Koller spoke with a quick glance in her direction, smile at the ready, “I deal with that black market shit, okay? But I'm a professional. So respect the shop.”

Vera held her hands up with a smirk along her face, “Sorry. You're right. Can't get any more professional than a girl waking up in a foreign place, scared, with no shirt on. Or bra to be perfectly clear.”

Koller’s smile faded as his cheeks flushed with embarrassment. “Alright you make it sound bad when you say it like that. B-but it's not like that, I promise! I was trying to save you!”

“Oh, I'm sure,” she teased. When she saw Vaclav look away from too much shame, she changed her tone to sincerity, “Thank you Vaclav.”

Vaclav looked back at her with the mention of his name. He stepped closer to her; he was about two or three inches taller than her. “By the way,” he began, “You never shared how you learned things about me. What exactly did your eye show about me?”

Vera grew serious as she shrugged, “I don't know the purpose of it, but it let's me see your bio? Your name is Vaclav Koller and I know you've been augmented your whole life and any new augmentations you have now, you've done yourself.” She paused for a bit, “I can turn if off too.” She lifted her left hand and felt her palm with her right thumb, “I only got to the part with the Dvali when I turned it off.”

There was a new light in Koller’s eyes as he listened with fascination. “That's crazy. I've never seen augmentations that can do that!” He wasted no more time, “Come on, let's get you in the chair.”

Vaclav hastily motioned her over to the chair and she followed after she put her coat and her bag down. She hesitated before sitting down and did so when he assured her that everything will be alright.

“Will it hurt?” she asked nervously.

Koller shook his head, “Not at all. You won't feel a thing after I get the gas going.”

His words didn't exactly calm her nerves and when he turned away to get everything ready, Vera gripped the armrests of the chair tightly. She squeezed her eyes shut and held her breath as another surge of pain hit her. As she dealt with it, she opened her mouth wide in a silent intake of air during the ending of the moment. By the time Koller looked back at her, her eyebrows were furrowed and she still gripped the chair.

“What's wrong?” Koller quickly asked.

“Just scared,” Vera lied.

Something along Koller’s face changed after her words. She could have swore that it was concern and sincerity.

“I won't hurt you,” Koller spoke lowly. “I promise.”

Vera looked into his eyes for a few heartbeats before giving him a faint smile and nodding, “Okay Vaclav.”

Koller was ready and grabbed the mask to put over her face but she stopped him just before he did so.

“My name is Vera by the way.”

Koller smiled softly at her. “Pretty,” he said then carefully placed the mask over her face and everything soon went black.

\--

“It looks like some sort of VersaLife tech,” Koller’s voice sounded. A pause as he was on the phone before he continued. “Did you know she can hack augmented individuals?” A slight break, “Yeah, well it looks like she's some sort of prototype or something. The augs aren't fancy enough to be a final product. They look to be in an early stage. Can you imagine being on the opposing side of someone with that power? Augmented people everywhere would become enslaved!”

Vera opened her eyes to a fuzzy sight of the ceiling of Vaclav’s shop. She gasped quickly at the quick, agonizing pain that stabbed her body. When she clutched her chest, her hands were trembling terribly and she couldn't stop it. She then flinched when a loud crash was heard from above in the workshop. 

Whatever it was had scared Koller as well. “Oh fuck,” the color in Koller’s face drained away as he looked at the camera feeds on his monitors. “Um, h-hey Jensen, I thought you talked to Otar?”

Vera was now sitting up in the chair and she froze at the name Koller spoke. She knew an Otar.  _ Could it be Otar Botkoveli he's talking about? _

“They're here again man!” Koller’s voice had a tremble in it from honest fear. “Just please come by when you can!-- When will you be back?!” Koller clutched his phone tightly, “Okay, but just hurry man.”

Vera stood up slowly and heard Koller slam his phone on the desk. He was obviously talking to Adam and she assumed their conversation was now over. With her hands still shaking faintly now but uncontrollably, she made her way to him.

Koller flinched hard when he saw Vera but calmed when he realized it was her. “O-oh, good morning,” he tried to act calm but Vera saw through his act. It wasn't morning yet though. It was still in the darkest parts of night. He didn't want her to see what was on the cameras but he didn't stop her as she looked over at the monitors.

It was only five men, but obvious Dvali. They were discussing something but no sounds were on the feed and all of them had guns at the ready. Vera watched them kick over books and push over tables as they began an evident search.

Vera pieced enough of everything together, “Are they the ones that wrecked your store?”

Koller looked over at her but she kept her eyes on the monitors. “Yeah.” he swallowed hard as he looked back at the screen, “B-but they can't get in here. They'll never find out how.”

“So I take it,” Vera spoke lowly, “that you don't actually get along with everyone in that crime family?”

  
“Not really,” Vaclav said. His eyes trailed downwards to her hand that was near him as she stood beside him and he could see them shaking. “Don't be scared,” he tried to sound brave. Vera looked over at him as he took her hand to act protectively. Vera hesitated but only for a split moment before grabbing his metal hand back, holding it. Little did he know, she was trembling from the pain. She knew he was trembling from the fear. He needed more comfort than she did right now as they both looked back at the monitors, watching the Dvali re-destroy his entire shop, searching for the doctor.


	7. Chapter 7

“Are you sure,” Vera began, “that they won't find us in here?”

Vaclav was clutching her hand tightly. No matter how hard he tried to hide it, his voice gave away his true emotions. “A-absolutely! These idiots can barely spell. We've got nothing to worry about.” He looked over at her when she turned her head towards him. Her face was serious and concerned; worried. “What?”

“What did you do?” she asked.

Koller quickly shook his head, “I-I didn't do anything! I paid my protection money and I thought Adam had made a deal with Otar!” He looked at the monitors again, “Radich must have done something to piss Otar off….”

“So why,” Vera began, “would he send men after you?” She didn't need an explanation on names. She lived in Prague long enough to have learned about people and she also actually knew some people in the Dvali due to her family.

“Becauuuusee,” he stretched the word out as if he's explained this a million times, even if it is Vera's first time hearing about it. “I work closely with the head Dvali, Radich Nikoladze. And Otar is not too fond of that. He's been trying to overthrow Radich for a while now and one way to weaken Radich is to get me.” 

Vera knew as well as he did that if the Dvali did ever get their hands on Koller, it wouldn't be a simple lecture or solitary confinement. They would kill him and they would make him suffer before they did.

“They won't find us,” Vera spoke softly to assure him. Her voice seemed to have soothed him slightly until it showed one of the men enter his clean office.

Vera watched too now as the man began to flip books and move tables to find anything. She stole a quick glance at Koller and his eyes were wide, glued to the screen as the man now went to the bookshelves and began yanking books off of the shelves.

“Oh shit…,” Koller breathed. Vera wasn't sure of what book the man needed to pull but she knew he'd eventually get to it. She winced suddenly as Koller unconsciously squeezed her hand even tighter without realizing the grip he had on her. If she thought he was trembling bad before, she was wrong compared to now. She had never seen someone so frightened. She wanted to do something.

Vera managed to free her hand and slid it to his shoulder. “Vaclav,” she spoke. She remained as calm as possible even if she too was scared. When he didn't look, she lightly shook him, “Vaclav.”

Koller managed to look in her direction just as she was pushing him backwards. He took steps back until his legs hit his folded out couch, which was his bed, and he was forced to sit.

“Stay here,” Vera ordered as she had his attention. “I'll make them leave.”

Koller didn't realize her words until she had begun exiting towards the secret path and he shot up immediately. “Wait, what?!” Koller ran after her and the two were halted right before the brick wall that slid open. “Are you crazy? You can't leave!”

Vera didn't want to argue. There was no time. “Vaclav, they're going to get in here eventually if we don't do something! They're after you so you can't leave. … They don't know me.”

Koller’s face was enough to give away hope of the thugs being taken care of but it was overpowered by something else. “That could work but it could backfire! I can't let you basically commit suicide, Vera! I couldn't live with myself and Jensen would kill me! Hiding is good. Hiding has always worked.” he finished his statement as he turned to pace, rubbing his stubble roughly.

What Vera wouldn't tell him was the real gamble she was planning on taking. If she was right… then everything would be okay. Maybe.

“This is my decision, Vaclav.” Vera firmly stated. She didn't let him argue with her anymore. “Please trust me. I'll be fine.”

“Vera,” Koller desperately spoke as she found out how to open his secret exit.

Vera gave him a reassuring smile, “I'll be okay. Be back before you know it.”

When the bricks closed, Koller faced away and let out a long needed exhale and he sat back down on his bed. He ran his metal fingers through his messy hair and just watched the camera feeds from there.

\--

Vera had forgotten her coat and was feeling the harsh, cold weather of the Prague night because of it. She managed to get away from the manhole she crawled out of and go to a new alleyway to enter into the area from; just to help hide Koller’s lair a little more.

She jogged closer to Koller’s bookstore but slowed her step as she got closer to the door. From outside, she could see two of them still downstairs but they didn't notice her outside. Only did they turn when they heard the front door slowly open.

“ _ Hey! _ ” one yelled in Russian and the two immediately raised their firearms to her. “ _ The fuck are you doing here, hanzer?! _ ”

Vera already had her hands up and began performing, with both a defensive but hesitant tone, “ _ Me? What are you guys doing here? Vaclav specifically said that no one was allowed in here while he was away. _ ”

The mention of his name got their attention and she noticed that one more man from upstairs had begun descending the steps to join.

“ _ You know Koller? _ ” one said.

The other two men began mumbling to each other but loud enough for Vera to still hear, “ _ Is that the girl who works for him? _ ”

“ _ No, no, the other girl is a natural. _ ”

“ _ Where, _ ” the first man spoke again, “ _ is Koller? _ ”

Vera purposely acted, even though she truly was, scared, “ _ He's not here. _ ”

“ _ Bullshit _ .”

Vera looked up and saw a fourth man looking over the balcony.  _ Just one more _ , she thought. Her eyes then fell back to the man in front of her, “ _ I saw him leave this morning. He asked me to watch the store since it's already been vandalized once. You know, scare off the kids. _ ”

The men didn't believe her but they didn't become aggressive either. “ _ Why would he ask you to watch the store? _ ”

Vera still had her hands up. “ _ He's a… friend of mine. _ ”

That made the main guy grin widely, “ _ A ‘friend’, eh? How close of a friend is he to you?” _

Vera knew where he was going with this interrogation. Even if it was unexpected, she played along with it. “ _ W-we see each other every now and then…. _ ”

“ _ Oh! _ ” one Dvali who wasn't as bright piped up, “ _ if he actually cares about her, he'll come get her! _ ”

The main one rolled his eyes with annoyance. “ _ No shit. _ ”

From down in his workshop, Koller felt as if he'd have a heart attack. His bloodshot eyes frantically shot back and forth between the one Dvali still in his office and Vera dealing with the other four. His eyes soon became locked solely to Vera however as he watched the first Dvali approach her too close. Koller stood up instantly when he grabbed her by the hair before yelling for the man in his office. He stole a look at the other monitor just as the Dvali left his office to join the others.

Vera grit her teeth as the man pulled tightly on her long black hair that was down. “ _ Let's go for a ride, sweety. _ ”

Koller ran to his computer desk as he watched the men drag Vera out of the store. One of his outside cameras revealed her being tossed into a van.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck!!!” He exclaimed as his grabbed his phone off the desk. His hands were shaking too much and he misdialed Adam twice before he was successful.

“J-Jensen!” Koller’s voice was breaking, “They took her! Fucking Otar’s men took Vera!”

Adam, just now arriving back to Prague in Chikane’s VTOL, almost yelled as he couldn't jump off the plane fast enough, “What do you mean, they took her?! I thought she was with you Koller!”

Koller flinched from the other end of the phone at Adam's voice. “S-she was! But she left. I tried to stop her but she wouldn't listen! Just get to her! They were definitely Otar’s men so they probably took her to the casino!” Koller pulled the phone away from his ear as their connection suddenly got cut off by Adam. He had heard all he needed.

\--

Vera had a bag over her head by this point. She would be lying if she said she wasn't terrified but it's what she planned for. All she could do was pray that everything would be alright. Maybe her choices were to help Koller. Maybe they were to just sate her own curiosity.

The van stopped and Vera felt the men grab her arms on each side and yank her out of the vehicle and down a hole. After she was forced down a ladder, the immediate smell that filled her nostrils were that of sewage and it stung the inside of her nose.

Some hard, presumably the gun barrel, hit her in the spine and the man behind her ordered for her to move forward. As they ventured, amongst the disgusting, acrid stench of the sewer, cigarette smoke added into the mix as well as the sound of chatter. Vera was certain that she could hear the gentle clatter of poker chips.

\--

Adam headed straight to the Překážka district towards Otar’s casino. He was worried but also pissed. He had, or at least  _ thought _ he had, made a deal with Otar and for him to break his promise and attack Koller  _ again _ was enough for Adam to lose his faith in the man. Adam couldn't also help but feel infuriated towards his doctor for him allowing Vera to get captured. The Dvali were after Koller. Vera had nothing to do with the affair and Adam knew what the Dvali did with the women they took. He needed to get to Vera before they did anything to her. And with her VersaLife augments, she couldn't be manipulated by the wrong hands.

He neared the manhole that was closest towards the entrance of the casino and pulled it open like he was just flipping an empty cardboard box. Without wasting time on climbing, he instead just jumped down to the bottom.

\--

Otar was sitting at the bar with his right hand man, Vano, discussing the latest infuriation with Radich when his men entered with a woman in their arms. Otar immediately stood but casually strolled towards them.

“What is this?”

The man to her right spoke first while still holding onto her upper arm, “It's Koller’s girlfriend. She claims that he's not home. We'll see how fast he comes out when he learns that we have her.”

Otar smiled widely, “Really? That's perfect.” He tilted his head towards Vera as her head was still covered by the bag, “And if he doesn't come out, then we can still make money off of her.”

“And,” another one spoke up, “She's augmented.”

Otar looked at the man who spoke immediately then back at Vera with a small chuckle, “Great work men!” He waved his hand to the bag on her head. “Let me see what the hanzer looks like.”

Vera's heart was going to explode from the nerves. She kept her eyes closed tightly when they removed the bag from her. She could feel her face hot from the fright and she tilted her head down to hide herself from Otar.

When there were no sounds in the casino other than those around who continued with their games as if nothing was happening,  Vera ever so slowly and nervously opened her eyes. She hesitantly looked up until her eyes found Otar’s and his expression was that of shock.

“Are…,” Otar began lowly, “Are you….”

“Hi Otar.” Vera spoke just as quietly.

Vera was positive that Otar had paled as if he'd see a ghost. He instantly looked at the men still holding her, infuriated, “What are you doing?! Let go of her!”

Terrified of their boss, the men immediately obeyed and even backed away as Otar now walked right up to Vera with his hands up but not touching her.

“Vera Severov!” Otar was beyond shocked, “My god, what happened to you? Artyom said you died! You had a funeral; I was there!” He looked into her augmented eye and Vera could see the faint disgust yet evident disapprovement on his face, “Who did this to you?”

Vera took his words one at a time as she responded, “I almost died. The ones who did the attack pulled me out. …. They made me augmented.”

Otar’s face grew to that of anger, “What?! Tell me who they are!"

Vera backed away on impulse. Otar was still terrifying to her, “I've already talked to Interpol. They're taking care of it.”

Otar retorted in both georgian and English, “ _ Fucking useless organization _ ! They won't get shit done. You tell me, and I'll make sure whoever did this will never do anything again!”

He looked up and Vera looked back as the door behind her quickly opened to Adam in the entranceway.

“Speaking of Interpol,” Otar said with disgust. “You have no respect to even knock?”

Adam retorted without care, “Says the one who broke our agreement and attacked my doctor.”

Otar smiled from sinister amusement, “I wasn't going to kill him, Mr. Jensen. Certain things have been happening and it would be convenient for me to get ahold of him.” he then looked down at Vera who was staring at Adam, and he now back at her. “I take it you two know each other.”

“We do,” Adam answered flatly. “And I'm wondering why she's not harmed or scared.” His eyes never leaving hers as she looked like a scolded child now.

“She is my Goddaughter,” Otar admitted which made Jensen quickly look at him. “Her father and I are very good friends and have been for a very long time. She is under my protection so if you have a problem with her, you can speak to me.”

Adam shook his head after a moment, “I have a problem but not with her. You broke our agreement and not only is Koller my doctor, but hers as well. If you take Koller and prevent me from getting any repairs when I need it, then you are preventing Vera from getting them too.”

“ _ Hell, _ ” Otar sighed loudly and spoke to Vera when she looked at him now, “You really are that idiot's girlfriend?! Koller is a fool who's been pushing my limits too far too many times. You have no reason to see him!”

“I'm not,” Vera finally spoke for herself, “his girlfriend. Adam,” she shortly regarded him, “saved me. He got me out of Golem City where I was taken. I agreed to help him with anything that I could and he's been very kind and helpful to me in return. And Koller saved me too.” She tapped her chest where the scar showed from her tanktop, “They put something in me that would kill me. Koller got it out and I'm still here because of him. So I would appreciate it if you didn't hurt him, Otar. Please. I owe them both.”

Adam noticed how Otar had visibly relaxed when Vera spoke to him. Even augmented, Otar seemed to truly care about her.

“Okay.” Otar said without issue. “I won't harm him for you.” He looked at Adam, “As for you Mr. Jensen. As I said before, I wasn't going to kill Koller. So I did not intend on breaking our agreement. It was only to scare Radich.”

“You can find other ways,” Adam stated.

Otar nodded, “This just seemed the simplest and easiest. … I'll find another way.” Otar looked down at Vera and touched her shoulder, “Come Vera. Let us catch up.”

\--

Adam didn't leave the casino and wasn't asked to as he waited for Vera to be done talking to Otar. He watched the two sit over at a table in the corner and converse. Based on their lip movements, Adam could tell that they were only talking casually. He wondered though, first, Vera was taken and given VersaLife augs, she was aware of Victor Marchenko of being involved in the bombing, and now it turns out that she was the Goddaughter of the second in command of the Dvali Crime Family. What was she hiding?

“Have you spoken to your father yet?” Otar asked.

Vera shook her head. “No. I went to the house but he wasn't home. I'm going to head back there in the morning though.”

Otar looked grim, “Just so you know, your father despised augs. You know he might not be too thrilled at first.”

Vera rubbed her hands together roughly, “Yeah, I know…. But I'm hoping that he'll come around. … I mean, I know you don't like augs either and you seem to be accepting me just fine.”

“Well of course,” Otar began, “I don't like it and I don't accept it but you're still that little girl I remember. I think even Vano accepts you,” he pointed over at the bald, tattooed man and when Vera looked, she caught Vano’s eyes. “You two were just teenagers when you met.” He then changed the topic back to her father, “Artyom will be alright. You're still alive. I think that's all he needs right now. He's been a mess since the bombing.”

Vera's heart ached when Otar told her of her father's pain but she smiled with excitement. “If I can bring some light back in his life that's all I need.” She paused and looked over at Jensen, not knowing if he was looking back. “But I think it's time for me to go.”

“Wait,” Otar began. “What is Jensen to you? Is he really taking care of you? Or do you just owe him a favor?”

Vera quickly defended her hero, “No, he really is looking out for me. I respect him, Otar.”

Otar took her words into consideration before nodding. “Very well.”

\--

When Vera was leaving, she walked ahead as Otar stopped Adam. 

“She speaks highly of you Mr. Jensen.” Otar said. Without waiting for his response, he continued. “Don't you ever hurt her or you'll have to deal with me. Take care of her like you are. And keep her away from that idiot Koller unless it's absolutely necessary. I don't want her hanging around him.”

“She's an adult,” Adam spoke firmly. “I'm not keeping her from anyone.”

“You will,” Otar was clear, “if we are to maintain our agreement.”

“We'll let her decide,” Adam said. “Regardless, I'll make sure she stays safe. I promise.”

\--

Adam and Vera walked together in silence in the night streets of Prague. Vera was going to head home due to the morning coming and assumed Adam would do the same. She hugged her arms around her torso to hide the minor tremble she had left but also because she was cold without her coat. She was certain Adam looked at her every now and then but didn't want to look back.

Sick of the silence eventually, she finally spoke up, “I'm sorry Adam.”

“For?” was all he responded.

“Being reckless.” She answered. “I’m not normally like this. But a lot has changed in my life.” She went to steal a glance at Adam and when she saw that his shades here retracted, revealing his eyes, she immediately looked away with a flinch.

“What is it?” Adam pressed right away. Several questions and concerns have been floating around in his head about her and if he could get answers now, he would. “What are you hiding?”

Vera quickly looked at him in defense, “Nothing! I-I just… I'm fine.” She finished while looking away. They weren't walking anymore.

“Then why did you look so guilty,” Adam questioned, “when I walked into the casino. Is there something you're not telling me?” without her knowing, he had activated his CASIE to get the truth.

“Because I'm disappointed,” she answered truthfully.

Adam wasn't expecting that response, “Why would you be disappointed?”

Vera felt her heart rate increase a bit, and he noticed that. She hugged herself a bit tighter; a small bite on her bottom lip; her eyes looking away. She was nervous, scared to talk.

“You can talk to me,” Adam assured carefully.

Exhaling smoothly, Vera looked up into his eyes and her heart beat faster. “Because I don't want to disappoint you, Adam.”

_ Disappoint me? _ Adam thought. He wondered why she would be worried but his augments showed him everything he then needed to know. Her cheeks were flushed in a light red. Her shoulders were slightly hunched as she stood insecurely before him and her heart rate was beating too fast for her to just be sorry.

  
Adam was taken aback. He didn't know how to respond to her. Never before had someone been that flustered around him since Megan. Megan was confident and strong, whereas Vera had become nearly broken and her insecure omega personality screamed out but the mutual feelings the women had towards him were the same. Megan was before his augments however and he actually wasn't positive if there was love from her end or not but now that he was just a walking weapon now, he had never experienced a woman being so drawn to him. He didn't think that one could be. He still didn't even like looking at himself. Without realizing it, Adam's face grew a little hot but not enough to show any color. Vera felt for him and he didn't know how to accept that.


	8. Chapter 8

Adam stayed with Vera as they returned to Koller’s shop and he let her go down the ladder first before following her.

Koller was still in his shop, sitting on his bed with his head in his hands. It had been too long since he had heard from anyone and he was beyond sick. His head jerked upwards when he heard the bricks to his hidden entranceway open up and when he almost ran around the corner, his heart leapt when he saw Vera, but dropped again when he saw Adam and how he was obviously glaring at him from behind his shades.

“Thank God you're safe!” Koller still exclaimed as he rushed up to Vera but stopped just shy of throwing his arms around her. He wanted to hug her but didn't know how she would react to such an action. “Please don't do that again.”

“It worked right?” Vera gave him a smile. “Told you I'll be back.”

“What did you do?” Koller had to ask.

“Turns out,” Adam spoke up, drawing both of their attentions, “that Otar Botkoveli is Vera's Godfather. She's known him practically her whole life.”

Koller was in disbelief, “What?!” He looked at Vera and nudged his finger towards her, “Then what was this whole thing of you being scared of  _ me _ for working with the Dvali? You've got guaranteed protection!”

Vera explained herself even though she understood where Koller was coming from, “I don't have  _ guaranteed  _ protection; only Otar knows me. But even so, the Dvali still scare me. They're all criminals and evil: Otar included. I haven't seen him in over a decade because I didn't want to be associated with someone in that line of work. My father was the one who still remained close to him. When you mentioned that it was his goons after you, I thought that maybe I could do something about it. Otar’s always liked me even if I did try to severe ties from him so I took a gamble and it worked out.”

“That was too reckless,” Adam spoke up from behind.

Koller nodded in his agreement. “I didn't know what to think when they threw you in that van.”

“You too, Koller,” Adam said sharply, making the doctor flinch. “You shouldn't have let her leave. What if you were wrong about it being Otar’s men? What if Otar didn't take kindly to Vera's change? She could have been killed, harvested, or sold to the highest bidder!”

Vera looked back at Adam when Koller spoke, “H-hey man, I tried! Trust me, I don't want anything bad to happen here! To any of us!”

Vera slowly stepped between Koller and Adam as Adam kept his gaze on the doctor. “It was my choice, Adam,” Vera defended Koller. “Vaclav tried to have me stay; he really did but I wouldn't listen. I'm sorry for acting so rash but don't take this out of him. He helped me so I was trying to help him.”

Adam sighed after a moment and finally looked away. “Fine,” was all he said.

After another silence fell in the room, Vera turned when Koller very lightly touched her exposed shoulder. “You, uh, left your stuff here.”

Vera, grateful for the silence to be broken, smiled faintly, “Oh yeah. I'd like to get that.” She followed Koller just a little further in his shop when they continued to converse with each other.

“I'm sorry to worry you, Vaclav,” Vera said as she grabbed her coat and slipped it on. She said with a smile as she took her over the shoulder bag that he handed her, “I could tell that you were scared.”

Koller grinned back and acted oblivious to her statement, “You were the one shaking. I was just trying to be brave for you.” All joking aside, he was terrified and he knew that she knew but he appreciated her company in his time of crisis. In fact, he hated to see it go and dreaded her near departure again. He tried what he could now, “Hey, if you'd like, you could come work in the store for me? The last girl who worked here won't return again after the first Dvali attack so I'm kinda short staffed with it being just me. I'll pay you and besides, the store needs to be cleaned and you did a great job on my office.”

Vera smiled bashfully and shrugged, “Thanks, I appreciate it Vaclav but honestly, after I go home, I don't really want to come back to any of this life.”

Vera could read the sudden sad expression that washed across Koller’s face even if he did speak with enthusiasm, “Aw, no don't say that! What if I need you to scare away more thugs? Or you need repairs? You should stick around! Come see your trusty doctor every now and then!”

Vera laughed softly and shrugged again. “I don't know. Maybe. I'll think about it.”

“You should,” Koller pressed, almost begging. “If there's ever anything you want me to look at, I'd love to.” He grew slightly flustered suddenly as he stammered, “I mean augmentations of course.”

Vera couldn't hold back another laugh and met Koller’s cheeky grin with one of her own, “Alright fine. …. If there's anything I want you to look at, I'll come by.” She teased, “About my augmentations of course.”

Koller nodded. “Then it's a deal. But I won't keep you any longer.”

“See you around, Vaclav,” Vera said as she turned away. She didn't see if he did anything else as she finally left with Adam.

\--

They were up on the surface again but before the two departed, Adam looked at Vera as she stared at nothing. He could see the fatigue and exhaustion on her face as everything had finally calmed down. He wasn't sure on when she had slept last.

“Are you going home now?” Adam asked her.

Vera glanced over at him then ahead again, “I don't know. I don't really want to be there when he first shows up. He might think I'm a robber or something. I'd rather show up after he's home.”

“Do you have a place to stay tonight?”

Vera shook her head casually. “Not really. … I mean, I can go back to Otar but… I really don't want to. I'll find a place.”

Adam was silent and looked over at his apartment complex just nearby, “You can stay with me tonight.” he looked back to meet Vera's eyes.

She was blushing, “Oh no, you already do so much for me Adam. And besides, it'd be inappropriate, right?”

Adam smiled very vaguely, “You've already taken a shower there. I think it'll be alright.”

Vera hesitated on the thought. She wasn't opposed to his offer but she just felt awkward about it. She wondered if Adam knew about how her heart would jump every time he looked at her and that's why she was scared of being alone with him at night. She wouldn't try anything, it was just the thought that made her uncomfortable. But… it was either Adam's place, Otar’s, or the streets. Adam's was by far the most appealing.

“I suppose so,” she finally caved.

\--

When they entered, Vera felt like it was the first time she had been there. She set her stuff down and after a moment, she took a seat on the couch and rubbed her face roughly with her hands while keeping her eyes closed.

“You should sleep,” Adam suggested as he stood in his kitchen. He was getting ready to pour himself his routine glass of whiskey but offered her something. When she asked for only water, he obliged by bringing her a fresh glass.

“I don't know if I can,” Vera sighed after she took a long drink. Her heart gently picked up as Adam took a seat next to her on the couch. “It's exciting. I'm finally going to go home.” She stole a glance at him and saw that his coat was off but he still had his combat vest on. Her eyes almost became glued to the beautiful black carbon of his augmented arms.

“Was it true what you said?” Adam asked as he looked in her direction. “Are you gonna leave this life behind when you go home? Try to go back to the old one?”

Vera awkwardly looked away and rubbed her neck softly, “Yeah it was. …. B-but if you still needed anything. I'll do what I can to help. If you have more questions, I'll try to answer them, I promise.”

She was almost shocked when she heard a small chuckle erupt from his throat. “Thanks,” Adam spoke. He then became serious, “I just want you to be safe Vera. This life isn't what it was. I don't want you to get hurt even more than you have. I know what it's like to lose everything and I hate seeing it happen to those around me.”

“Was that…,” she hesitated as she began to indicate his arm, “was that a result of whatever happened?”

Adam nodded and lifted his arm to look at his hand. “Like you, I didn't choose this life but it's the one I live now. Sometimes, I'm still not used to it….” he suddenly turned his head to her when he felt her lightly touch his bicep.

Vera flinched away quickly, “S-sorry! I just wanted to see what it felt like.”

“You're fine,” Adam assured. After a moment's hesitation, she slowly touched her fingertips to Adam's metal arm.

As she felt his augment, the two sat in silence. Vera became lost in his Sarif augs and Adam became lost in the touch of another. A touch that was kind and gentle. Not harsh or trying to kill him. It was something he wasn't used to but something he wanted to savor.

Vera's touch changed from barely to more full as she would slide her whole palm on his arm and down to his forearm. “I've never seen augs these nice before. They're so realistic….”

Adam would move his eyes from her hand to her eyes every now and then. When her fingers reached his wrist, Adam subconsciously turned his hand over to be palm up. He didn't realize how desperate he was to just feel what it was like to hold someone's hand again. He held his breath as her fingers slid into his palm and it was as if the feeling of her pulse through her contact would cause her heart to explode.

“C-can you,” Vera's face was too hot for comfort, “actually feel this? Or do you just know that I'm touching you? Can you feel warmth? Flesh?”

Adam nodded and vaguely wet his lips before speaking, “I can.”  _ And it feels amazing _ . When her fingertips touched his, Adam closed his hand around hers without knowing of his actions. He had entwined his fingers with hers and the feeling of his heart rate matching in tempo with hers through the pulse in her palm made him dizzy.

It had been so long. So long since he's felt the touch of another. The affection of another. His eyes moved to hers and her face was as red as her swollen lips that she continually would bite nervously.

He hadn't been in a relationship with someone for a few years now. Ever since his accident, he was always honestly disgusted with himself. He didn't know how anyone could look at him the way that  _ she _ did but here Vera sat. He knew that she had developed a self hated and depression about herself even if she didn't show it. It was too obvious to hide from him. Even augmented, she was just recently a natural and when they had first met at Ruzicka Station, she then didn't seem scared of him. She had accepted him before she even knew his name.

So long. His hand was gripping hers tighter now. He didn't know what a hug felt like. Even his friends and those he helped never once dared throw such an action his way. His eyes continued to find her lips as he thought of a kiss. He had almost forgotten what a woman's touch was like; lips against lips. Lips against neck. Tongue against tongue.

Adam felt intoxicated by his thoughts and he shifted in his seat to face her a little more. He released her hand only to raise his fingers to her jawline. He hesitated. He didn't know if he should touch her until he listened to her uneven breathing and noticed how her nails dug into her pants at her thighs.

Adam exhaled finally when his metal fingers touched her face and slowly slid up to a caress. Slowly did he slide his fingers by her ear and into her long black hair. Obeying with his pressure, Vera willingly leaned forward as he gently pulled her head closer to his.

Adam could feel her breath against his lips and his mind fought with his body. He wanted so desperately to kiss Vera and to pull her up against him but his mind told him no. That she would reject him. He closed his eyes and when his lips just brushed hers, his mind then flashed with images of Megan. Him kissing her, holding her, being over her as they made love and Adam had to jerk away.

“I-I’m sorry,” Adam quickly apologized and stood up to get away from her. “This isn't why I asked you to stay the night.” he started walking away, grabbing the whiskey bottle as he did. “It was inappropriate of me.”

Vera's chest was tight and her stomach was in a knot. It hurt to watch him walk away and she looked away as he stopped walking just to see if she would say anything. She lightly touched her lips with her fingers, “No, I'm sorry Adam. I shouldn't have come.” She felt like an idiot.

Adam looked back at her as she leaned forwards with her elbows on her knees and her head down. “You did nothing wrong Vera. It was my fault so please don't blame yourself.” he looked away towards his bedroom. “Just try to get some sleep.”

Vera covered her face with her hands as she rubbed her forehead roughly. He was right. It was inappropriate and she needed to only worry about the morning.

  
Adam closed his bedroom door behind him and sat roughly on the edge of his bed. He felt so stupid; like a fool and also like a total asshole. He cursed himself endlessly as his mind was plagued with perpetual thoughts of Megan now. He removed the lid to his whiskey bottle and took a large drink right out of it.


	9. Chapter 9

It was very early morning; the sun was just coming up when Adam woke in his bed, an empty whiskey bottle on the table beside him. He probably only got a few hours of sleep at best. With a heavy exhale, he got out of bed and put a t-shirt on before leaving the room.

His apartment was still nearly pitch black with only the early sunrise creeping it's way in through the cracks in his sealed windows. When he approached the couch, he slowed in his step when he saw Vera curled up on her side still sound asleep. She had pulled the blanket that he had on the couch over herself.

_ Real nice Adam,  _ he thought to himself. He cursed under his breath as he thought about how much more of an asshole he was now. After his stunt last night, he didn't even bring her a proper blanket or a pillow.

He silently moved around the couch to be in front of her and knelt down to be more level with her.

Even asleep, Vera had bags under her eyes and her brows had a slight furrow in them instead of being relaxed. Her even bangs were in her eyes and he gently brushed them back to move them. He watched her eyes move from under the lids and he wanted to see her beautiful pale blue and golden eyes but he knew it was best to let her sleep. Being very careful, he Adam slid his arms under her body and lifted her to take her to his room. After he set her down in his bed and covered her up, he grabbed what he needed, like his combat vest, and quietly closed the door behind him.

Adam showered and ate his routine cereal for breakfast before he left for the day. He didn't mind Vera being in his apartment alone. Besides, she had a big day ahead of her. He didn't want her to feel forced out.

\--

Vera awoke sometime later to the light of the open shutter in Adam's room. She slowly blinked her eyes open to the ceiling above her and stretched her body out, satisfyingly popping the joints in her body. She rolled over on her side just to then realize that she was in a bed.

Vera shot up and looked around. She was definitely in another place that she wasn't before. She fell asleep on the couch, not a bed. Hastily standing up, she rushed to the closed door just to relax when she opened it to see the rest of Adam's apartment.

She sighed loudly. When she looked back at his bed, she couldn't help but think of the night before when he almost…. Vera touched her lips; her cheeks reddened. She could have possibly ended up in his bed regardless of the path she took. He obviously had put her there while she slept.

“A-Adam?” Vera nervously called into the apartment. When there was no answer, she decided to walk around. Upon entering the main area, she noticed a wrapped muffin and a coffee, along with a note, on the counter next to Adam's closed computer.

Vera picked up the note and flipped it open to read Adam's hand written message:

_ Heading out. I hope you don't mind strawberries or coffee but thought you could use breakfast. All I have is cereal. Maybe we'll see each other again someday. _

Vera smiled and refolded the note before placing it in her pocket. Turns out she did like coffee and strawberry muffins. Before she left Adam's apartment possibly for good, she straightened up what little messes were from her and made his bed before heading out, drinking the coffee and eating the muffin on the way.

\--

Adam was in TF29 sitting in his office finishing up several reports he had been postponing due to other affairs he was taking care of. He was still waiting on Smiley to finish his examination of the DSD he had retrieved forever ago and he also had the Samizdat group asking for favors. After he had been interrupted by Chang about the security breach in their system and being reassured by the augmented man, Adam finally finished up his paperwork.

Adam was ready to logout of his computer to head out for the day but paused his fingers right above his mouse. He was thinking of Vera and how he had almost kissed her, how he  _ should _ have kissed her, how he  _ shouldn't  _ have done anything at all.

_ Why would she have such interest in me? _ Adam thought to himself. He was paranoid which he had every right to be. Ever since the attack on Sarif Industustries and his life changing operation turning him into a living weapon, it had been nothing but a downhill shit storm of lies, betrayal and the Illuminati. With Vera having VersaLife augs in her, she could just be another spy. …. But his CASIE showed him everything about her. If she was playing him, then she was good.

He decided to do some in depth research about her. He knew about her family from the basic, on the surface, background check that had been done on her but how much was buried?

Adam clicked through several links and leads on the browser, finding anything he could about her. She had lived in Prague her whole life and went to the local schools and a community college in the area. From looking at yearbook pictures, she seemed ordinary all the way around. He paused on one image of her in her early college years. She stood before a mural with a few other classmates along one side of the school building of a mass painting, which was expertly done. She had a smile of pure happiness along her face. She looked young and beautiful; a natural without an ounce of insecurity or depression. No drug habits, no crying, no hate. Her hair was still long and pulled into a messy ponytail with a pencil placed in the bun to hold it in place. Her clothes and fingers had paint on them but she still looked amazing.

Adam didn't realize he was lost into her photo until MacCready spoke up behind him.

“I don't think that's work related,” he spoke bitterly from behind Adam in his chair.

“And I don't think it's any of your business,” Adam bit back.

MacCready scoffed, “There's other places you could look that aug girl up at. Work is not the place for your personal searches.”

“As much as I would love to discuss this all day with you,” Adam spoke coldly, “I actually am doing research. I'm trying to see if she really is who she says she is.”

“A broken doll is what she is,” MacCready said with disgust.

Adam rolled his eyes from behind his shades. “Don't you have better things to do MacCready? Or do you really miss my company so much that you have to be here?”

MacCready wasn't amused, “I've been waiting on that report Jensen. You'd have it done if you weren't so busy ogling that girl.”

Adam still didn't even bother to look back at him, “And you'd realize that I already sent it in if you weren't so busy being an asshole my way.”

MacCready scoffed again and began to walk off, “We'll see. If you didn't, I'll write it instead.”

Adam didn't bother humoring MacCready with a response. Instead, he clicked off of Vera's picture to continue on his investigation.

All he continued to find was more photos of her in her school years and a stray one of her here and there with some friends or police officers. As he was nearing the end of his search, Adam then noticed a report about a riot that had happened in Prague last year.

The police had attacked a group of augmented citizens and based on the report of a not known writer, the police were doing so to harvest the augments for the Dvali. From what Adam could understand, it seemed as though the accusation of such crimes was swept under the rug. The augmented citizens in the attack were detained when it became too out of control and then sent to Golem City instead.

Adam's eyes scanned over the list of names of those sent to the Utulek Complex, Ivan Berk being one of them. There were videos of witnesses being questioned by reporters and an outside police force; not the normal force in Prague. One such video had the description of Vera Severov, daughter of the chief of police, being questioned about what had underwent in the streets.

Adam clicked into the video but didn't turn the volume up due to him being at work. In the video, several citizens were lined in the background, all being questioned just as Vera was. She looked scared; her wide pale blue eyes looked back and forth between what must have been a reporter and an outside police officer. Based on her lip movements, she spoke with haste and her expression was that of honesty. She must have been there at the wrong time. Further in the video, a grown man dressed heavily in Prague police armor entered the shot and quickly put one arm around Vera's shoulder and pointed at the people behind the camera with his free hand. He's livid, yelling and cursing at those questioning his daughter. As the man does this, Vera's attention gets drawn off screen, her wide eyes still that of terror as she locks them onto someone obviously moving due to how her head turns. Adam pauses the video and rewinds it back to when she first looks over. She saw something.

Playing the video over, Adam paid close attention to a window to a shop in the background. The reflection is fuzzy and based on it, the whole street was packed with augs, naturals and police all alike. Playing it one more time, he distinctly makes out the reflection of a man with a yellow hood on. It had to be Ivan.

Adam leaned back in his chair and let the video play the rest of the way out now. The rest of the video just being more of Vera's father yelling before it's then cut off. Maybe Vera really was right. Maybe it was just revenge that made Ivan drag her out of the bombing to make her completely new.

Adam lifted his hand and looked at the black carbon. He wanted to accept Vera and how she felt for him but it was just so damn hard. He didn't know if he could take another betrayal. Let alone, one that hit too close to his heart. Megan had fucked up everything that allowed him to get close, both physically and emotionally, to anyone and so the way his heart would beat for Vera terrified him. What if she just did the same to him? What if she just used him?

His golden Sarif eyes looked up at the video thumbnail before him which was a still of Vera. She wouldn't do that to him, right? He used all he could on her. He read her, questioned her, watched her, and now even looked her up and everything about her was genuine. He even almost kissed her and was lying to himself if he said he didn't want more than that. He had wanted her the night before and now wanted nothing but to see her again. His chest tightened in grief when he thought about how she probably would never come back again after her father. He had ruined his chance with her the night before and now she was gone.

\--

Vera passed another police check, keeping her head low with her hood on, and still grateful for the temp pass being active. First thing she wanted to do after seeing her father was to work on getting an official one.

She walked down the steps to the subway with her hands in her pocket, her bag over her shoulder and her jacket zipped up. It almost amazed her to how well she had actually blended in with the other augs. She took a seat on a far end of a bench away from another woman as she waited for the next bus to the Překážka district to arrive.

While waiting, Vera glanced around at her surroundings and frowned deeply. The aug only section of the subway was disgusting; littered with trash, old food and stains. In one corner, a homeless man slept on just a strip of a cardboard box. Vera felt selfish. She never realized just how horrible the augs’ living situations were when she was a natural. She assumed it couldn't be that bad. She cursed herself for being so ignorant. This was sad.

She boarded the train with the few other augmented citizens and chose to stand up at one end, keeping to herself. The Překážka district wasn't that far, so the ride wasn't going to be that long.

Vera's fingers fidgeted around in her pockets as she stood impatiently; waiting for the bus to stop and ready to run home to her father. As she thought about the excitement and her stomach was sick with nerves, her heart was racing with her emotions.

At one point, she put a hand over her chest lightly as the beating was growing rapidly. Suddenly, she parted her lips for any intake of air she could receive. She was getting dizzy until she quickly hunched forwards and yelped in pain, drawing the eyes of the passengers she was near.

Vera gasped and found herself on one knee; one palm on the nasty train floor and her other hand clutching her tank top over her chest. Her vision was in a blur and her eye had warning messages flashing before it. With each beat of her heart, a stronger pain hit and she was groaning in pain because of it.

“A-are you okay, miss?” an elderly woman with an augmented arm quickly asked as she knelt by Vera, placing her metal hand on her shoulder. “What's wrong?”

Vera tried to answer but was instead panting and trying to catch her breath. Her hands were shaking worse than they were back in Koller’s shop and they just wouldn't still. With the woman's help, Vera was able to move to an open seat and sit down. Once seated, Vera lifted her hands to look at them. The tremble was violent and the pain was in every inch of her body. Her entire being must have been shaking.

The elderly woman looked at Vera's hands with wide eyes and shook her head as soon as she looked up at the woman. “I'm sorry sweety,” the woman spoke to Vera, “but I-I don't have any….” with that, she then turned and hastily moved to the other end of the cart.

_ Have any… what? _ Vera thought to herself. She was definitely sweating and her skin was back to its sickly pale. She looked like she had the flu.

Vera didn't even notice when the train stopped until the others started getting off. Refusing to stay seated and let the pain of Neon withdrawals keep her from going home, Vera forced herself up to leave too.

Vera also didn't realize that it had begun to rain. She glanced up slowly at the dark grey sky with the heavy showers pouring down overhead. She had her hood on but it didn't matter. She was going to be soaked to the bone soon enough.

\--

“So…,” Koller awkwardly began a conversation as he was tinkering with Adam's arm. “where's Vera?”

Adam was watching the doctor work, “She went home.”

Koller’s expression of sadness was painfully obvious. “I guess she won't come back, huh?”

Adam didn't want to give false hope. He didn't know himself, “Probably not.” He could see how much Koller was upset by his words but the doctor didn't speak about it until Adam pressed, “Why does that bother you?”

Koller gave a shrug and opened his mouth to speak but was unsure of the first words to say, “She is…. I thought she could…. I don't know man,” Koller sighed as he leaned forward, looking closer at the bolts in Adam's arm, “I kinda like her.”

Adam's face was, of course, blank but inside, he felt his emotions stir inside him. Koller had started to fall for her too? He refused to tell the doctor of what he almost did with her the previous night. Instead of speaking, Adam's thoughts ran to different paths and scenarios…. What if he had got with her? Could he be right for her? Would he make her happy? What if Koller would be better for her? He was nothing short of a mad scientist with his experiments and often had the Dvali wanting to kill him but Adam saw how they acted around each other. The night before when he brought her back to Koller’s shop after Otar, he could see them smiling and laughing with each other. And now thinking about it, Adam could see how Koller’s eyes lit up when he looked at her.

“Did I freak you out?” Koller broke the silence that had been dragging on.

Adam snapped out of his thoughts quickly, “No, you didn't. Who knows… she might come back. Hopefully, it'd be for good reasons though.”

Koller nodded his head as he was finishing with Adam's arm, “I can tell her smiles are forced. At least a little bit they are. She's depressed. I hope that she can eventually accept her augments. But when she does, hopefully she'll use them for good. She can hack into any augmented individual. That's insane power to have at the disposal of your hand. Pretty cool but pretty scary.”

\--

Each step hurt, each breath was hard, and each wave of random pain was excruciating. Up against an alley wall, Vera did all she could to catch her breath as she looked ahead to her house just down the road.  _ Almost _ , Vera thought.  _ I'll be there soon dad… _ .

To Vera's delight, there was a car outside; her dad's car. Even if it was hard to do so, Vera smiled and wanted to cry. Finally. Oh, God finally.

  
Vera trudged up the front steps to her house and lifted her shaking hand, her clothes already soaked through. Finally she would see her dad. She knocked on the door lightly. She was home.


	10. Chapter 10

Vera almost counted every second it took for the door to open in front of her. She glanced back but for only a moment to see how the rainy weather was only getting worse. Finally, she heard the door unlock before opening.

“ _ Can I hel-- _ ” Vera's father spoke in Russian. He choked on his words when Vera lowered her hood so her father could see her whole face. He looked the exact same, just a tad bit older. He was clean shaven, had brown eyes- her blue eyes were from her mother- and he had short, jet black hair.

“ _ H-hey dad _ …,” Vera smiled sadly. “ _ It's me _ .”

Artyom stood in utter shock and disbelief. He couldn't find words to say. The only thing that managed to come out of his mouth was,  _ Wh-who are you? _ ”

“ _ It's me, _ ” Vera said again, placing her shaky hands over her chest. “ _ Dad, it's me, Vera.” _

Artyom shook his head, the door was wide open now as he took several steps back, “ _ No, no. M-my Vera died- she-- She died in a bombing. _ ”

“ _ I didn't die dad, _ ” Vera said. She took a few steps forwards until she was inside the house too. Her father didn't object. “ _ I was caught in the bombing but I lived. _ ” She noticed how her father was still highly unsure but also how he continued to stare at her eye.

“ _ No,”  _ he spoke again. “ _ My daughter isn't a hanzer. _ ”

Vera frowned. “ _ I was made like this…, _ ” she pointed at her eye briefly then held out her hands, palms up, “ _ It was how I could live. I-I don't like it either but I'm able to see you again; it's the reason why I'm able to come home. _ ”

Artyom looked down at Vera's hands that were still shaking badly. His eyes drifted to her pale face and baggy eyes, “ _ Are you on drugs? _ ”

Vera shook her head quickly, hesitated, then shrugged shortly, “ _ I was.. but not anymore! I'm quitting. I haven't had a hit in a while now… i-it's the only reason why I'm shaking b-but I'll be better soon. I promise dad.” _

Artyom immediately threw his hand up _ , “Don't call me that. _ ”

“ _ What? _ ” Vera quickly said, taken aback. “ _ But da-- it really is me, Vera, your daughter. …. I was going to Florida to live with mom and go to the best university I could find for my art. … I talked to you right before the attack. _ ”

Artyom had paled dramatically. It seemed as though he did believe her, he just didn't like what he was hearing. “ _ But you're…. You're a freak now. You're worse off than dead now.. _ ”

His words hurt far more than she thought they would. Her fears began to plague her mind at the thought of his rejection. “ _ It's okay… I'm learning to live with it. You can too-- _ ”

“ _ I will not!” _ Artyom voice quickly rose and he pointed at the photo of Vera on the mantle. “ _ That is my daughter! Not some strung out hanzer! Why--”  _ He was so hyped from his turmoil of emotions that he almost couldn't talk, “ _ Why- why would you come here?! Why would you do this to me?! _ ”

Vera wanted to faint from how her father was talking to her, “ _ D-d-do what?? I just wanted to come home- I just wanted to see you! I love you dad! I miss you! I fucking hate what's become of me and all I've been wanting to do is to run home to you! If anyone could make me accept this- accept myself, it would be you! _ ”

“ _ Why would you _ ,” he seemed to ignore her words, “ _ come back?! Why couldn't you just let me believe you to be dead? You had to let me see you again?! Let me see what you've become?! _ ” Artyom immediately turned away and began pacing angrily. He turned on her again, “ _ You are not my daughter! My daughter isn't some fucking hanzer! Augs are the ones who did this attack and they didn't even have enough fucking dignity to let you die human?!” _ He pointed at her, “ _ Did they turn you into this? This freak? This monster! _ ”

Vera stepped back, she was already crying but she didn't sob before her father. She thought of Adam's words. Her heart skipped a beat when she thought of Adam… she needed him right now, “ _ I am human. We all are. _ ”

“ _ Shut up,”  _ her father spat in disgust. “ _ Don't you dare compare yourself to me! _ ” He then changed the subject, “ _ Do you even have a passport? How are you still here?! You should be in the Utulek Complex with all the other fucking abominations! _ ”

Vera tightened her hand into a fist and looked down, tears falling to the floor as she tried to wake up. She had to be dreaming, right? Otar accepted her. She knew that her father deeply despised augs but she didn't think it'd go this far. She was his own flesh and fucking blood.

“ _ Get out, _ ” Artyom’s voice sounded broken now. “ _ Leave before I arrest you. _ ”

Vera still didn't look up. As she began making her way out of the house, she noticed her father walk to the mantle with her photo.

“ _ You should have stayed dead, Vera…,” _ Artyom said lowly as he took his daughter’s photo into his hands. He was crying heavily now. “ _ My sweet girl…. _ ”

Vera was gone and even shut the door behind her. She flinched when she heard the photo shatter from the impact of it being thrown against a wall. She stepped off the porch and into the streets, not even putting her hood back up and instead letting the rain hit her directly. She was in shock. She was angry, miserable, depressed, sick, and just wanted to die.

She only made it to the same alley she originally came from when the pain hit her again and she dropped to her hands and knees. Gasping and gagging, Vera sobbed now. She couldn't believe it. The harsh reality was too much and she quickly threw up the muffin she had eaten in the morning.

After several long minutes, Vera was able to stand again and she moved. She didn't know where she was going but she walked slow and weak to wherever she wanted. She neared another alley and saw a man buying Neon from a dealer before running off.

Vera stared like a deer in the headlights at the dealer that didn't notice her. The longer she stared, the more she swore the pain hurt. Fuck it. She was nothing but a strung out hanzer so why not live it. Vera immediately walked towards the other man, getting his attention.

“Get lost,” the dealer spat.

“Got color?” Vera asked quickly. She dug in her bag and pulled out some credits.

The dealer looked at her money then back at her in disbelief. “Neon’s not for you, hanzer.”

Vera was pissed and shook her head, “I'm not fucking around here. I know you have it and I'm willing to buy. I  _ need _ another hit.”

The man stayed as he was for a few moments before looking behind her then back at her. He grinned and his eyes basically turned to dollar signs.

Vera didn't hear the other two men walk up behind her.

“For you, beautiful.” The man said as he took out a full capsule of Neon from his pocket. He looked over her credits and nodded as he took them, handing her her purchase in return.

Vera didn't thank him as she turned around to leave but she ran into another man and froze.

The man was tall, taller than Adam as he held a hand up to halt her, “Whoa now. … you know that we can't just let you go off and commit suicide. There's so much of you that we could use…”

Vera looked at the man and then at the other as she backed up into the dealer. She was triangled in by the three and she slipped the Neon in her bag as she glanced between them.

“What do you want from me?” Vera asked.

The second man, a short man, chuckled, “What do you think, sweety?”

Before Vera could move, the dealer snatched her bag strap and threw it off over her head and onto the wet alleyway ground then snatched her coat and tossed her back to hit the wall.

Vera gasped and put her hands out to defend herself as the tall man quickly pressed himself against her and hoisted her off the ground, getting between her legs.

“This will hurt,” the tall man promised.

“Not as much as it will you,” Vera swore as she grabbed the man by the side of his head, her right hand going from his cheekbone to his ear, and her having a sudden urge to fight. Before the man could go further, she activated the electrical charges in her hand and the man immediately screamed until he fell to the ground in a rough thud.

The man falling forced Vera to fall too due to him holding her and her leg was caught under him.

“The fuck?! What did you do, hanzer?!” The dealer yelled as he was stunned for a moment. Shaking away his hesitation, he and the short man quickly rushed to her, the short man grabbing her free leg and the dealer grabbing her arms and straddling her stomach.

“I guess we can skip that part,” the dealer said and grinned, “And we'll skip right to the money maker.” he let go of her left hand, not the one she needed free, and casually moved his head away as Vera reached up to shove his face away. With his free hand, he pulled out a switchblade and got it ready.

“How much,” he began wickedly, “will that pretty eye of yours go for?”

Vera's eyes widened as the man moved the blade closer to her face. Reacting by immediately closing her eyes and moving her head away, she also swatted at his hand.

“It'll make it worse,” the man spoke with amusement. Vera struggled violently, kicking and squirming as she felt the sharp tip touch the corner of her eye lid. She screamed and managed to loosen up her right hand just enough to slip her fingers in a puddle that she lay in, as well as the dealer's leg. Immediately activating the charges, Vera felt her whole body tingle with the current and the man jumped instantly, the blade jerking in his hand and cutting up the side of her head, slicing the link in her forehead that wired to her eye. The result being the glowing gold going out and Vera losing sight in one eye.

“Ah!” The dealer yelped and stood up over her; he had dropped his knife by her head. “The fucking bitch can shock people!”

Vera taking this as the only chance she had, she quickly grabbed the knife by her head and stabbed the dealer in the foot, making his scream in pain. The short man loosened his grip enough for Vera to slide herself out of both his grasp and the weight of the tall man's body.

Vera slid back and stood up as the dealer dealt with his problem while the short man ran at her. Vera was against the wall and waited for the short man to get close. When he did, Vera quickly stepped to the side, grabbing the man by the back of the head and slamming it into the wall, knocking him out immediately. When she whipped her head around to the dealer, he was already charging at her with the knife. Vera stayed put as she grabbed the man's neck on the side and released the charges again.

The knife was lodged deep into Vera's left shoulder as the man was basically cooked under her hand. She didn't let up until she knew he was done.

The dealer hit the ground hard and didn't move at all. Vera was panting and took several steps back, groaning loudly as she had to pull the knife out of her shoulder and dropped it to the ground. She looked at the sight of three men lying before her but not for long as she snatched her bag and ran.

She didn't know how long she had ran but she finally couldn't anymore as she hit her back to a wall and slid to the ground. She cried and looked up, the cold rain hitting her in the face. The realization was hard and terrible as it began to sink in. She just almost got raped and harvested but worse than that, her father had actually disowned her. He would rather her be dead than be augmented. What the fuck had happened to her life?

Vera looked down in defeat. She couldn't stop shaking, her shoulder hurt terribly and she couldn't see out of one eye. She glanced over at her bag and hastily dug through it to retrieve her hit of Neon. She looked at the glowing blue contents and hesitated. Is this all she was now? Vera took a deep breath and moved the capsule to her lips, just to get hit even harder by the pain that continued to get her. She grunted out and her hands shook so much she ended up dropping the Neon.

“Fuck!” Vera cried out loudly and punched the capsule that lay on the ground with her right fist. The plastic capsule immediately shattered under her attack, spreading the contents all over her knuckles and fingers as well as the plastic cutting into her skin.

“Why me?” Vera lowly breathed. “Why did it have to be me-- ugh!” she hunched over from another surge. As she squeezed her eyes shut and held her torso, she saw flashes of her life now. She saw Otar, Interpol, Koller, but what drew her the most was Adam. Adam was the last thing that had given her light in her new life. She opened her eyes and looked at her Neon covered hand. She was better than this.

  
When Vera tried to make herself stand, she found that it became near impossible as she screamed shortly in agony and almost fell again. She didn't realize that the withdrawals would be this harsh; this cruel. She couldn't take it anymore. She needed help.


	11. Chapter 11

Vera stumbled horribly with each step she took towards the subway station, holding her right hand and having her hood up to cover the cut along her forehead. There was no way withdrawals to an inhalant could be this bad. It had to be something else wrong with her.

Now grateful that the police in Prague could care less about distressed augs, Vera made her way without outside trouble down the steps and onto the next train that arrived. She needed help and could only think of Adam. She already owed him so much and thought of how she could pay him back for everything; now having another thing added to the list.

Walking up steps had to be the hardest thing for her to do. The steps to the subway and also the steps of Adam's apartment complex. He just had to be on the very top floor and the very last room. By the time Vera had made it to the top floor, she almost collapsed from exhaustion and fatigue. Her heart raced and the pain hit with the same rhythm. She slowly stepped closer to the door of his apartment, grateful for it to be unlocked. When her hand grabbed the handle and pushed the door open, everything quickly blurred before turning black as she fell to the floor.

When her eyes opened, she had her head on the side and she looked at the bottom of the coat rack Adam would hang his coats on. Vera groaned and moved her arms to push herself up as she was on the ground. When she looked back, she saw that she couldn't have been out for long; it was still raining as bad as it had been.

Vera weakly stood and made her way to his couch, almost falling again on the way. When she put her right hand that was still stained with Neon and cut from the plastic on the armrest of the couch, she dropped to her knees on the floor in front of it.

Panting and trying to stifle her groans, she thought,  _ How am I supposed to get ahold of him…? He's not home…. _

Vera glanced at the coffee table and saw the remote to the TV and thought about how her dad-- thinking of him hurt the most- would make calls through it with the remote.

Vera began pressing buttons on the remote with her left hand and was able to activate the menu. She saw a tab for calls and dialed the most recent one that had been placed. A name popped up: ‘ _ Dialing: David Sarif’ _ .

Vera ended up looking down as the call was going through as she could barely hold her head up anymore. Her head was growing tight and her face felt hot.

“Adam?--” David Sarif picked up on the other end and immediately spoke, surprised as to why Adam was calling him unexpectedly. What surprised him far more than he could expect was the evidently ill woman sitting on the floor between the coffee table and couch looking up at him. From what David could see, there was blood running down the side of Vera's face and her skin deathly pale.

“Wh-who are you?” David said, unsure as to what was going on?

“I need help,” Vera panted lowly. “Can you…,” she had to look down again. “Can you get ahold of Adam? I think... ,” she swayed a bit, “I-I think I'm…,” without being able to finish her sentence, Vera lost consciousness again and fell on the floor once more.

\--

Adam had his augmented arms wrapped around Domonik’s throat until the man he needed to drag out for Masa Kadlek was unconscious. Adam had already taken out the security cameras and knocked out the guards in his way. When he grabbed Domonik’s body to get ready to drag him away, his info link pinged to a very loud and very upset Otar Botkoveli.

“Jensen!” Otar yelled. “Where are you?!”

Adam despised how Otar had access to his info link but he bit his tongue as he replied, “Taking care of that favor, remember?”

“Where is Vera? Is she with you?”

Adam paused in his assignment to answer back, “What? No. She went home to her father.”

Otar exhaled heavily, “She's not there anymore. Artyom just left here. Things… did not go very well for them. He told Vera that she should have stayed dead and now she's gone. She did not call me so I hoped she had gone to you!--” a sudden growl mixed in his voice, “Or maybe that doctor of yours--”

“No, she didn't,” Adam quickly said. He felt the worry grow in the pit of his stomach, “I haven't heard from her.”

“Well,” Otar was fuming again, “I need you to find her! My men are having no luck--”

“--Adam!” David's voice suddenly cut in.

“Sarif?” Adam was surprised to hear from his former employer. “What's wrong?”

“I don't exactly know,” David began, “but there's an unconscious girl lying on your floor and she's not doing good Adam. She's in deep stages of NRS.”

Adam froze. Of course. He could see the pains here and there in her expression and Koller had told him how she tends to shake. It was just like Stacks. The man who he escaped with from Facility 451 after Panchaea. Adam had seen his friend Stacks go to some dark places due to neuroprosthesis rejection syndrome and wondered how long it had been for Vera since having her last dose of neuropozyne.

“Otar,” Adam spoke up. He didn't wait for the Crime Lord to respond, “I found her. I'll go get her.”

“Good!” Otar said loudly. “Make it quick!”

\--

Sarif was still on the call displayed along the TV as he looked at Vera who had woken up by this point. She sat up against the couch while she stayed on the floor and managed to get her bag off along with her coat, sitting in her cargo pants and tank top. She didn't really look at him; she didn't really look at anything.

“Just try to stay awake for me now. Adam's on his way,” David spoke to her. When she didn't respond, he continued in conversation. “Adam's never mentioned you. How do you know him?” still no answer and the augmented man frowned deeply. “My name is David Sarif. I used to be Adam's boss back before the aug incident. Adam's a good man. Very trustworthy and he strictly stands behind what he believes is right. Hey, hey!” David quickly yelled when Vera dropped her head back on the couch and went limp. “Hold out for a little longer!”

Vera wasn't out again, but nearly. She had her eyes parted barely and stared at the ceiling in Adam's apartment. She felt like this was the end, and was it? Was she to die a depressed, disowned, drug addicted aug? What happened to the aspiring artist wanting to move to America?

Still unable to see out of her deactivated eye, Vera closed both of them to see nothing but blackness now. She didn't even hear the front door burst open.

“Adam!” David was relieved. “Good thing you're here! I don't think she'll hold out much longer.”

Adam didn't acknowledge his former boss and instead rushed to Vera. When he knelt by her, he carefully brushed the palm of his metal hand along her cheek and jaw and turned her face towards him.

“You still with me?” Adam spoke to her.

Vera answered Adam by slowly opening her eyes. When she met Adam's, he noticed the blackness in her augmented one and he immediately looked up at the cut along her forehead, the one that severed the link to her eye.

“Come on,” Adam breathed protectively as he gently slid his arms around her body, her putting her left arm over his shoulders while he lifted her up and sat her up on the couch. When she was good, he reached in his pocket and pulled out a bottle of neuropozyne, the kind to inject, not the pill form.

Quickly filling the syringe with its contents, he grabbed Vera's arm and pulled it towards him but he stopped just shy of the needle breaking her skin.

“Wait,” Adam looked up into Vera's eyes. “What drugs are you on?”

Vera had to ready her breath before she spoke to him truthfully; she was already lost in his kind eyes, “Neon.”

Adam visibly backed. One of the objectives he was currently doing was about the Neon trade in the city and he had learned that Neon reacted fatally with neuropozyne in augmented individuals. It would cause them to convulse and die.

“When was the last time you've had neuropozyne?”

Vera weakly shook her head and spoke quietly, “I've… never had it…. Ivan.. only gave me Neon….”

_ Never had…?  _ Adam hesitated. Maybe it would be okay but he then shook the thought away, “What about the Neon?”

“Golem,” was all she said.

Adam pressed. He had to be sure, “You haven't had it here in Prague? Are you positive?”

Vera nodded and her face contorted in pain, “Yes.” She shakily lifted her right hand to Adam and he could see the blue stains mixed with the red of her blood along her knuckles and fingers.

“Okay,” Adam concluded. That's all he could take as he grabbed her arm and slid the needle in her skin. “Just breathe for me, Vera….”

\--

“So…,” David spoke up some time later after Vera was asleep on the couch. Adam stood nearby and watched her carefully. “Who is she, Adam?”

“A prototype.” Adam said, still not looking away from her.

“Prototype for what?”

“VersaLife.”

David was surprised, “VersaLife? That's where Megan works--”

“I  _ know _ ,” Adam interrupted bitterly. He knew all too well that it was where his ex worked. He had already considered the possibility of her making Vera's augs. Megan could have experimented with Vera just as she had with Adam and that infuriated him. He was fucking sick of games. “I don't know what her purpose is for them yet,” Adam spoke, “but she's just a test. They would have fought to keep her in the Utulek Complex if she was complete.”

“What,” David began, “exactly can she do?”

Adam opened his mouth to speak but straightened up when he saw Vera stir. “I'll explain later.” Before Adam would let David get another word in, he cut the feed from his TV and approached Vera's side. He gently placed his hand on her shoulder to keep her flat on the couch when she tried to sit up.

“You need to rest,” Adam said.

Vera opened her eyes now and looked at Adam. She looked much better but still weak and ill. “How do I repay you?”

Adam smiled faintly. “By taking it easy.”

“No,” Vera breathed. “I owe you so much, Adam…. I can pay you if you want.”

Adam shook his head, “I don't want your money.”

Vera started to sit up again but Adam put his hand on her shoulder once more though he didn't want to shove her back down. He hesitated when she placed her hand over his and leaned close to him. “Thank you Adam….”

Adam stayed still, remaining only a few inches from her face but he obviously was unsure as to what he should do. “Don't worry about it.”

Vera gave Adam a small smile and her eyes drifted to his lips briefly before she fell back to the couch. The nu-poz had helped tremendously but she was exhausted.

“I'm so sorry….” Vera breathed almost inaudibly. “I'm so much trouble.. my own father doesn't even want me anymore.”

Adam frowned beside her when she spoke. He carefully brushed her bangs away so they wouldn't stick to her bloody wound on her forehead. “You don't need him,” Adam spoke. “It's okay to love him still and it's understandable to be hurt but you're also better than him. You shouldn't give up.” He read her expression as she kept her eyes closed. She wasn't convinced. Adam moved his hand off of her shoulder as he spoke again, “Why didn't you tell me earlier that you were in pain? I know NRS isn't a one time pain. At least, not over time. It's continuous and only gets worse the longer you go without neuropozyne.”

Vera opened her eyes to respond to him, “I thought it was just Neon withdrawals. I didn't want to complain about my own personal drug habits.”

Adam's face was that disapproval. “You could still have said something. NRS can cause permanent neural damage or even death. Next time, say something. And don't take Neon again. It reacts negatively to neuropozyne and can kill you.” She didn't respond at first so he pressed seriously. “Promise me.”

Vera looked into his golden eyes that stayed locked with hers. She owed him everything. “I promise Adam.”

Adam nodded slightly and lightly touched her shoulder again. “You need to rest now. We can figure out what we can do later.”

Just before Vera slept, Adam had gotten a bowl and filled it with water and grabbed a rag to clean Vera's head wound and hand. As her forehead was cleaned off, he could see that the gash had cut completely through her flesh and not just the surface. He had retrieved tweezers to get the few shards of plastic out of her hand before he had cleaned those wounds as well.

\--

Vera didn't know what time it was when she woke but when her eyes opened, it was pitch black out and still raining. She sat up on the couch and looked around. Adam wasn't home. It seemed like he always had things he had to do. Still tired, she ignored her body and got up anyways. It was almost a miracle to not hurt now other than the cut on her head.

Vera slowly made her way around the couch and to her bag that Adam had placed on the table and when she moved the flap to peer inside, she saw her spare change of clothes tucked within. She felt disgusting and hoped Adam wouldn't mind if she took a shower.

She closed the bathroom door behind her and placed her clean clothes on the sink, which she then looked at her own reflection after she did so. Vera could see the blackness of her deactivated eye and carefully brushed the cut with her fingertips. She couldn't help but be annoyed with the lack of vision out of one eye. Maybe she could pay Koller a visit. She had credits. She'd pay him to fix her up.

After her shower, Vera had rolled up her dirty clothes and stuffed them in the bottom of her bag before she then found a piece of paper and a pen. She decided that it was a yes to seeing Koller and, lacking a phone, she thought it best to leave Adam a note incase he came back.

_ ‘I'll be back. Went to see Vaclav about my eye.’ _

Vera left the note on the counter by Adam's laptop before she threw her coat on, put up the hood, and left his apartment.

\--

Vera knew now where Koller's secret entrance was and managed to moved the manhole and close it behind her as she made her way down the ladder into the sewers. Walking down the only path she could, she stopped at the brick wall and looked up at it. She wasn't too sure on how to open this end. Feeling around with her hands, she looked for any pressure plate. Eventually, her hand sunk in and the bricks moved to clear a path for her.

As Vera made her way into Koller's shop, she could hear the doctor speaking to someone that wasn't there in person. It must have been a call.

“I will not remind you again, Koller.” an unfamiliar voice spoke. “Next time, we will meet in person.”

Koller's voice had a slight tremble in it, “I understand, boss, but like I said, it's not up to me! It's up to how much Gallois wants to send me! He didn't send me all the shipments this time- b-but I'll talk to him! I'll get this fixed.”

“For your sake,” the sinister man spoke, “Let's hope you do, Koller. I'll keep in touch.”

“Fuck!” Koller yelled as he hung up his phone. He slipped it in his pocket before grabbing his messy hair and pacing, “Gallois, what the fuck are you doing, man?! You're gonna get me killed!” He turned in his pace and jumped when he saw Vera standing at the end of his pathway. “Wha--Vera?! What are you- I thought you went- how much did you hear?!”

Vera flinched at his outburst. He wasn't mad, just scared. She slowly put her hands up as she spoke, “Not enough to know what's going on but enough to know that you might be in trouble.”

Koller gave an uneasy grin and rubbed the back of his head while he shook it, “Oh, I'll be fine. I always am.” He sounded like he was trying to convince himself. He then frowned quickly when he noticed her deactivated eye. “What happened?”

Vera took a hesitant step back when he rushed over to her, “An accident.” She stayed still as Koller leaned in close and examined her wound.

Koller didn't believe her, “Is that why you're here?”

Vera nodded, “Y-yeah, I was hoping that you could fix this. …. It's kind of a nuisance to only see out of one eye.”

“Of course I can!” Koller cheered and snatched her arm, dragging her over to the chair that had more blood around it than before. He saw her hesitation when she looked down at the sanguine pool around the chair. “I just haven't cleaned it up yet,” he said with uneasy enthusiasm.

“It's fine,” Vera said as she sat in his chair. Koller reclined it back for her and pulled up a stool to sit beside her and lean over her face. He had attached the right tool he needed to his unique metal arm.

“So…,” Koller stuck up a conversation as he carefully opened up the cut to examine the broken link. “I thought you left? Was your dad not home? I mean, don't get me wrong, it's nice to see you again. I'm just curious.”

Vera exhaled silently as she tried not to focus on the stinging pain in her head as he worked, “He was home.”

Koller smiled. “That's great! How'd it go? I know it's gotta be hard to accept augs in this day but if Otar can--”

“He told me,” Vera interrupted. Her organic eye began to water, “that I shouldn't have come home. That I should have stayed dead. That a drug addicted hanzer couldn't be his daughter.”

Koller froze briefly. He should have read her face before he opened his mouth.  _ Idiot, Vaclav…, _ he thought to himself. He looked down at her eyes and could see that she was on the verge of tears and that surged something inside him, “Fuck him.” Vera looked up at him as he continued, “You don't need an idiot like him scrambling up all your emotions like that. If he was a good father he wouldn't have said those things to you. There is nothing wrong with being an aug and you need to accept that.”

Vera shook her head faintly and looked away again. Wincing only slightly as he continued his work. “But he was my family. He was the only one who could help me- make me accept this.”

“You have us here!” Koller chimed up hopefully. “I'm here for you! And Jensen! I'll gladly help you accept your new augmentations!”

She knew she was getting her augmented eye fixed but that was so she could see again, not so she had access to its abilities but Vera spoke up, “I'm not sure if I want to.”

Koller huffed. “Of course you do! Just give it time. You'll come around.” He stayed quiet for a moment and spun around in the stool to grab a bottle of water and some painkillers. When he faced her again, he offered both to her. “I, uh, don't need to gas you for this but it still might not feel pleasant. So you might want to take these.”

Vera leaned up and faced him as she took the water and pills. As she opened the pill bottle to take some out. She noticed Koller staring at her. “What?”

“What really happened?” Koller regarded her head. “Did your dad attack you?”

Vera hesitated but quickly shook her head. “N-no, no he didn't do this.”

“Did you?”

She shook her head again, “No… it was just some.. guys who did this.”

Koller felt his heart jump. “‘Guys’? What did they do to you?”

Vera thought that she might as well be honest. She had nothing to hide and placed the pills and water down on the table next to them. “When I left my father's house, I thought I was going through Neon withdrawals. The pain was almost unbearable and when I was taking some back alleys to… wherever, I found a dealer. …. A dealer that had some friends.”

Koller visibly backed, “Are you crazy?! You know what a couple of bangers would do to a beautiful augmented girl like yourself if they caught you alone?! They would do… horrible, horrible things to you and harvest you!”

“I know.” Vera stated. “They tried.” She lifted her right hand and moved her fingers to say that she had taken care of the problem.

Koller hesitated. He spoke low and seriously, “Vera, you need to be more careful. You might not be so lucky next time.”

Vera looked away momentarily and shrugged a little. “I know but it's okay--”

“No!” Koller interrupted and grabbed her right hand that she still had up. He squeezed it in his hand, “You cannot be so reckless! There's so much more for you to live for- so much potential you have! You can't waste this! You can't give up like that!”

Vera pulled her hand from Koller's as she retorted, almost bitterly but from her fucked emotions, “Why would you care? I'm not trying to get pity from you, Vaclav. I know what actions I'm taking. I'm trying to figure things out on my own right now.”

“Why would I care?” Koller echoed. “I like seeing you! I like looking at your augs and I hate to see them go to waste! I've already stumbled across one friend who had killed himself; I don't need to see another!”

Vera lost the words to say as she gripped the chair between her knees. She could see the features along Koller's face relax but his eyes still burned. She felt embarrassed by her actions and felt ashamed to have even upset him. “I-I didn't think you would care.”

“Of course I do,” he quickly put in. Koller's heart was racing as he looked at Vera's face. She had a healthy flush to her skin now unlike the sick pale she had been having. Her lips were dark pink as she insecurely continued to bite at them and her pretty blue eye averted away from him. He just wanted her to look back.

“I'm sorry Vaclav.” Vera said lowly.

“Don't be,” he responded as he quickly slid his left hand, the normal metal hand, into her hair and made her face him again. Before Vera could react, Koller leaned up from his stool and strongly pressed his lips to hers as he desperately wanted to kiss her. Vera sat in shock as she felt how warm and sweet Vaclav’s lips were as they kissed her.

The bricks had moved to the hidden exit in Koller's workshop.

Koller pulled away slowly but didn't move far. He was debating If he should kiss her again. “I don't want you to give up,” he spoke lowly to her. His hand slid along her jawline before he then noticed another presence in his shop.

Vera then noticed too and looked over, still in shock from what just happened and felt her heart drop.

“Oh!” Koller didn't seem frightened, only slightly embarrassed. “Jensen! When did you get here? Um, sorry if you saw anything.”

Adam  _ did _ see something. He looked right as Koller was pulling away from her but the doctor didn't know of his own feeling towards her, so Koller didn't seem sorry for that reason.

“What brings you here?” Koller asked.

Adam stayed as calm as he always did when he spoke, “Vera left a note saying she'd be here. I wanted to make sure she was okay. It seems that she is.”

  
Koller smiled, “Oh, uh, yeah. I'm almost done fixing her eye.” he then looked back at her. “Let's finish that up, shall we?”


	12. Chapter 12

Koller was right about it not feeling pleasant when he repaired the wires in Vera's head. She would be flustered by Koller's kiss if it weren't for her trying to ignore the pain on her head and she gripped the armrests tightly.

“Almost done,” Koller informed as he wiped more blood away with the rag he had lying next to him. He carefully laid the new wire in place before connecting it together. He finished by attaching the port on her forehead. “Okay.”

Vera had her eyes closed tightly and hesitantly opened them after he spoke. Her eye was working again but all she saw was several numbers and words, along with warning and reboot messages, scrolling in her vision.

“Better?” Koller asked as he tilted his head slightly.

“Uh,” Vera waited for all the messages to disappear and blinked several times when it finally adjusted. “Yeah, yeah it's better.” Her eyes slid to Adam in the room and she twitched her fingers to shut his information off to her again. She then glanced to Koller who had a happy smile on his face. She followed in suit by turning his info off as well.

“Am I good to go?” Vera asked the doctor.

Koller opened his mouth to say one thing but obviously chose to say another. “Uh, yeah, you're all good.”

Vera nodded to him shortly before rising from the chair. First, instead of leaving with Adam, she grabbed her bag and began digging through it. Satisfied when she pulled out a clip she kept with her credits on it.

“Here, Vaclav,” Vera spoke up as she turned back to the doctor with payment, making him react by quickly standing and shaking his head.

“No, don't worry about it Vera,” Koller assured with a chuckle. “You don't have to pay me for fixing you up.”

Vera shook her head too. She didn't want to owe him too much either. She already had Adam for that. “Please, it's the least I can do.” She didn't look at him entirely when he approached her.

“I don't want your credits.” Koller said kindly. “Besides, I was… out of line earlier. I'm not gonna make you give me money after I did what I did.”

Vera stole a glance towards Adam who had moved to wait by the secret entrance before looking back at the doctor. “About that…,” Vera felt bad for her next words but at the same time, didn't, “Don't do that again. …. Please.”

Koller almost visibly flinched and had a mixture of embarrassment and shame on his face even though he tried to act casual. “Of course. I'm sorry if I upset you. I know it wasn't my place….”

Vera couldn't help but feel bad for him feeling the way he did and explained herself, “I'm not mad at you Vaclav. It was unexpected. And… I don't need any of this right now. I don't feel the same.”

Koller nodded quickly and still rocked the awkward look. “Got it.” He then looked at her credits and changed the subject to them. “I seriously don't want that. Don't worry about any of this.”

Vera shrugged hard, “But there's gotta be someway to repay you. I'm sure your resources aren't cheap.”

Koller was quiet for a second before finally regained himself with a sure smile and saying, “You could come work here like I offered before.” When he saw her face expression, he defended himself, “I-I promise I won't kiss you again! It'll be strictly professional. I was serious about needing someone for the store since the last girl left. And I can pay you it. It'll be a job. You get an income and I don't have to run back and forth so much between both of my jobs.”

Vera stayed quiet as she pondered his offer. It wasn't a bad idea. It would probably even help her take her mind off of her own personal problems. She was looking away as she thought but met his bloodshot eyes when she spoke, “I can even clean up the rest of the store.”

Koller's smile went from ear to ear. “Exactly! That would be great!”

Vera couldn't fight her own smile now. Koller was very good at making her forget about bothersome things, “Okay Vaclav. When can I start?”

Koller shrugged casually. “Well, right now we're closed. But as soon as you want! Tomorrow good?”

Vera nodded and took a few steps back now, still smiling to him, “Sounds good. See you then.”

Koller waved at her and when she turned away from him, her smile dropped and she exhaled silently. She didn't look up at Adam while she touched her head lightly and the two headed out.

\--

“How are you feeling?” Adam asked her as they reached the surface. It was still the middle of the night.

Vera slid the manhole cover closed before she answered him, “Physically better. Mentally…,” she stopped moving and rubbed her arm subconsciously, “I'm… I just don't want to believe it.” She looked up at Adam and spoke, “I'm sorry. Thank you so much Adam. For everything you've done for me. …. You're my hero.”

Adam wasn't expecting those words. He always wanted to do right but he never considered himself a hero. “I'm just trying to be helpful--” He cut himself off when Vera threw her arms around his torso and hugged him tightly. He was over a head taller than her and looked down at her, hesitant as to what he should do.

Vera's face burned hot as she pressed herself into his strong warmth of a body but she wanted to show her gratitude in any way she could. “I don't know who I'd be now without you.” Her heart skipped a beat when he wrapped his arms around her now and she ended up squeezing him tighter. “I will do whatever I can to repay you.”

Vera pulled away first but not without hesitantly looking up at him first; slowly sliding her hands away, letting them linger on his body for any moments longer.

“I just need you,” Adam began as he found himself lightly touching her jawline with his fingertips, “to play it safe. To stay safe.” His eyes moved to her fixed up wound on her forehead and he regarded it without touching it, “And no more being reckless. No more of this.”

Vera nodded and he knew that she would listen to him. Her eyes fell slightly when he removed his hand.

“Let's go.” Adam said.

\--

They were back in his apartment and Adam took his coat off and hung it up before turning to go down the hallway. He paused before he disappeared from sight and looked back at Vera who still stood near the door. “You hungry?”

Vera hadn't noticed her hunger but when she thought of it, yeah, she was. She hadn't eaten since the muffin he left her and that, well, definitely wasn't in her stomach anymore. She nodded shortly, “Yeah.”

Adam gave her a nod back and now left to go into his bedroom. Vera waited only momentarily before he came back. He was out of his boots and combat armor. Instead, he was barefoot, had black sweatpants and a dark grey shirt on. It seemed as though he didn't plan on leaving for a while. He motioned her over to the kitchen and regarded one of the bar stools for her to sit on, which she did.

“What would you like?” Adam asked her as he walked around to the fridge.

Vera smiled faintly and shook her head, “I'm not picky. Whatever you want.” She watched him open the refrigerator, which was mostly empty but she wasn't judging. She saw mainly milk and then a carton of eggs which he pulled out. Along the counters she could see cereal boxes and even empty boxes in the trash can.

“You prefer breakfast?” Vera asked from observation.

Adam glanced at her, unaware of what she meant at first. “Want something else?”

Vera quickly put her hands up and shook her head, “No, no that's not what I meant.” She laughed awkwardly, “I just see that you have a lot of cereal around.”

Adam smiled lightly, understanding now what she was talking about and turned back to the stove, a pan already on it. “I've just always preferred it.” He began cracking eggs into the pan and grabbed some pepper next.

“So you have a job now,” Adam said to start a conversation.

Vera nodded and slid her thumbs along her knuckles. “Yeah I guess so. I think it'll be good.”

“I do too,” Adam said. “Just… be careful with Koller.”

Vera leaned back in the stool and felt embarrassed and ashamed. Her fingers ghosted her lips when she thought about Koller's kiss. “I didn't want that Adam.” When he looked at her, she knew her cheeks turned red, “I'm sorry. I didn't know he was going to do that.”

Adam immediately realized that she was talking about the kiss. It wasn't what he was referring to but now that it had been brought up, he really didn't like the sight at all but he couldn't get mad at either one of them at the same time.

“I was talking about his Dvali business.” Adam explained. “Even with your strong ties to Otar, Koller plays too dangerously close to them and often gets in trouble.”

“Oh…,” Vera breathed. She knew what he meant. She was in the middle of it one time and walked into Koller being threatened another time.

“And it's okay,” Adam clarified as he plated the eggs and faced her, sliding a plate with a fork her way. She didn't know fully of his own feelings growing towards her, and they haven't technically done anything yet Adam understood why she felt the need to apologize to him and he felt the need to reassure her in return.

Vera felt better after his words. She didn't start eating until he did and when she took her first bite, it was good for eggs, but very bland for actual cooking. Vera didn't dare complain though as she was immensely grateful for his hospitality anyways.

“So..,” Vera started the conversation now, “how are things now that Rucker’s gone? I haven't been able to see the news yet.”

Adam noticed that his cooking was lacking too as he ate and he looked up at Vera with his eyes, reading her similar feelings towards his culinary skills. He found it to be humorous. He was serious when he spoke however, “Shaken up. So far, it's stable, but I'm sure there will be riots. With the face of ARC gone, augmented--” He stopped his words. He didn't want to talk about serious matters and worry her more. “When did you decide that you wanted to be an artist?”

Vera was surprised at him changing the subject but she didn't want to question it. “I was unsure of what I wanted to be until I hit high school. I swapped between wanting to be an artist, an architect, a veterinarian. When I got to high school, I started looking at brochures for different universities and that's when I decided what I wanted to be.” She took another bite and tried her best to hide her face. She grew deeply embarrassed when she noticed how Adam watched her. “Uhhm,” she coughed awkwardly, “Is this what you wanted to be? A part of Interpol?”

Adam shrugged. “Not directly. I've always been into the idea of being a cop; someone who brings justice. At 21, I joined the DPD in Detroit after I got my bachelor's degree and then everything has just escalated from there. I was in SWAT, head security of Sarif Industustries, and now I'm a part of Interpol.”

“And what about the Juggernaut Collective?”

Adam froze solid. His eyes locked to her and she became increasingly scared by his expression. “How did you know that?” he asked.

Vera had pressed herself to the back of the chair. “I-I don't know who they are.”

Adam focused on her golden eye. He remembered that Koller mentioned how she could read personal information from people. She never explained that to him though and now was the chance. “What all did your eye show you about me?”

Vera was terrified that Adam was mad at her and didn't know what he would do. “N-not that much- I didn't look far! I--,” she lifted her left hand as if she were surrendering, “I can turn it off. When I first realized that it was you back in Golem, I didn't want to know anything else. I know how old you are and where you work. That's about it. Anything else, I don't want to know unless you want me to know.”

Adam wasn't upset with her but he needed to be intimidating. Him working for the Juggernaut Collective was a complete secret that Interpol did not need to find out. “Okay. …. Don't tell anybody that, alright? I need that to be kept a secret.”

“I promise!” Vera said without hesitation. She lowered her hand and slowly picked up her fork again. She felt like she had been scolded. She swallowed hard as she poked at the eggs. “Are you....,” she was scared to ask. “Are you doing bad things?”

Adam paused again but spoke clearly when her eyes met his, “No. I'm trying to stop all of those who are doing bad things. The same people who bombed Ruzika. The same ones who killed Talos Rucker. I want to do what's right for everyone.”

Vera believed him hopelessly but she couldn't see him being evil. He was too kind, too honest and too brutal. He had to be telling the truth. When she took one more bite of the eggs, he finally spoke up about the matter.

“Are they good?” Adam asked her; speaking lightheartedly to make the air less tense.

Vera swallowed down the eggs first before speaking, “Y-yes, thank you.”

Adam grinned. “You're lying."

“What?” Vera outburst. She grew heavily flustered.

Adam had to laugh now. It was soothing but foreign to see this side of him, “Relax. I don't think they're that good. Sorry, but I'm not a cook and I can see it on your face that you don't like them.”

Vera wanted to faint. “I-I’m not ungrateful--”

“I know.” Adam assured. He straightened up and walked around the bar to her side as he slid the plate away. He decided that he'd get her cereal instead. He at least couldn't get that wrong. He looked down at her and she didn't want to look up at him. “I'm teasing you, Vera.”

Vera's body was stiff and she made herself look at him, “And you called me out for reading you.”

Adam spoke genuinely, “Sorry.”

Vera smiled a little even if she still was embarrassed but she then got the idea to question him, “What all have you read about me?”

Adam became intrigued by her question. “Your file? Or your face?”

“Both.”

Adam huffed amusement as he leaned against the counter with her seated right beside him, watching him. “All your file contained was information about your family and your record. Never been arrested, never been suspended. Above average student.” he then spoke about the more interesting topic about her question, “Your face shows your true feelings. Right now your embarrassed.”

Vera pressed her lips together as she stared into his eyes. She was okay with him knowing her and now she assumed he knew that. It was insane how much she had cared for him to where it made her heart feel like it'd explode out of her chest. But he knew that. She wanted him to tell her what he knew and a mischievous side of her opened up as she stood, staying very close to him.

“What else?” Vera asked.

Adam was now the one growing uncomfortable by her close presence but he at least could hide it. He was still terrified of growing close to anyone. He tried to dance around her question. “You're feeling better.”

Vera smiled a little. “I am. But disregard my health… what about my emotions? How am I right now?”

“Confident.” Adam answered honestly. “Anxious.”

Vera moved to be directly in front of him as he gripped the edge of the bar with his hands, staying in place and looking down at her. “What about earlier? Back at Vaclav's?”

She meant the kiss. Adam's eyes would occasionally fall to her lips, “You were scared. Worried about what I would think.”

Vera now was watching her hands as she tested in touching him. Her hands spread along his stomach on the outside of his shirt and she desperately tried to keep up the confident exterior, but the fear of rejection was wanting to rip her away from him. “Why would I be worried?” she looked into his eyes again, “What did you feel?”

Adam had to catch his breath. He was getting more aroused than he let off but that'd soon be obvious if they continued down this path. He was just too worried about being betrayed. But her touch… the warmth of another was enough for him to want to get drowned by it. He didn't want to fight it. “I was jealous.”

Vera's cocky smile faded quickly to that of hope and surprise. She tried to smile again but was getting too lost in the moment, “Why.. why would you be jealous?”

“Because I--” Adam hushed himself by grabbing Vera on the underside of her thighs and quickly sitting her on the bar, turning their positions around in a heartbeat. Vera was shocked by his actions but her face screamed out that of arousal. Adam almost closed his eyes as she slid her fingers into his dark hair.

Adam dug his metal fingers into her upper thighs as he slid her to the edge, pressing his groin up against hers, forcing a pleasant and intoxicating gasp from her.

“B-because what?” Vera tried to say confidently but she was falling apart faster than him.

“Because I wanted to be the one to kiss you,” Adam rushed out right before he closed the distance between them. His lips connected to hers with a strong lust and she had to part to breathe every now and then by how much he smothered her lips with his own. The next time she gasped for air, Adam grabbed the back of her head and slid his tongue into her mouth, finding hers and making her moan.

Adam moaned in the kiss next when Vera wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled him closer. She wanted him desperately. Adam broke their kiss just to drag his hungry lips to her neck. His hands squeezed her everywhere and slid along her body until they got under her shirt. He was about to lose himself. He could feel her pulse with each kiss he placed along her warm, soft neck; the vibrations in her throat when she would let out little moans here and there. His fingers slid along her flesh under her shirt and around her waist, making her shiver. He acted strong in the moment, but he felt dizzy. He hadn't touched another even remotely close to how he was touching Vera ever since he became augmented but he didn't want to lose this. The feeling of her fingers in his hair was amazing. He let out a deep, sexy growl from his throat as he kissed, licking her flesh past his lips, and teasing a bite on her neck by sliding his teeth along her.

Vera moaned sweetly, “Adam….”

Adam was fully ready to take her then and there but he restrained himself up until she had moaned his name. He yanked her off of the bar and was too impatient to take her to the couch or his room. He laid her on the floor quickly and immediately was over her, kissing her, grinding against her, ready to tear her apart and make her cry out his name again.

“A-Adam,” Vera panted quietly. “I want you--” Adam had cut her off by kissing her roughly, sliding his tongue back into her mouth and moaning when hers slid around his, beckoning him.

Adam broke their kiss and lifted himself over her, his hands on each side of her head. He suddenly hated himself as he looked down at her. He wanted her, oh he desperately needed relief but he was the good guy. Adam couldn't make himself go any farther with her. She had just, very, very recently, been through terrible times and he didn't want to take advantage of her. He knew that she was better, both physically and mentally, but he could still see the grief and sorrow along her face. He couldn't make himself take advantage of this moment.

“I'm sorry,” Adam said. Her face already showed that of disappointment and confusion. “Not now.”

Vera grew heavily sexually frustrated but she wouldn't question him. She was happy enough by the moment they shared anyways. She lifted her hand and caressed his face as she spoke, “Okay.” She watched him pull away from her but took his hand as he helped her up off the floor until they were both on their feet again.

Adam wasn't sure where to go from there; he still held onto her hand. He didn't know what to do in this situation. “TV?”

  
Vera broke into a small laugh and smiled at his awkward statement. “Yeah, okay. TV sounds good.”


	13. Chapter 13

Adam ended up putting on old baseball game on the TV just so they didn't have to watch the news. He didn't ask if Vera was a sports fan but she didn't seem to mind it. On the coffee table in front of them were two empty cereal bowls; he did end up getting them something better. She didn't sit against him but she sat close, keeping one knee up to her chest and the other hanging off the couch while he sat casually at one end. Adam didn't watch the time as he found himself lost in the game. Only did he snap out of it when he felt her against him now. Adam looked over as Vera was fast asleep.

He smiled softly and moved his arm so he could lay it around her and have her sleep more comfortably against him. As he looked down at her, he gently played with her long black hair with his carbon black fingers as he thought about what they did. The moment they shared. Adam didn't seem as hesitant as before. Sure, Megan was still in the back of his mind but this time, he didn't want the thought of his ex to pull him away from the woman he had now.

Adam ended up watching the game for some time later before he decided that he should get some sleep. He carefully moved Vera so he could stand but he took her in his arms with him. This time being courteous, he took her to the bedroom and placed her in the bed, covering her up. He debated if he should lay down with her but decided against it. He instead grabbed a small blanket and retired himself to the couch for the rest of the night.

When morning came and Adam awoke, Vera was still asleep in the room and he quietly cleaned up dirty dishes and cleaned himself up for the day ahead. When he was fully dressed, save his coat, he walked into his bedroom and knelt by Vera on the bed.

“Hey,” Jensen spoke quietly as he gently nudged her. That was all it took for her to blink her sleepy eyes open. He decided that he wanted to actually tell her where he was going instead of just being gone when she woke. “I'm heading out. I don't have a way to get in contact with you yet so make sure you head straight to Koller's.”

“Okay Adam.” Vera grumbled out with a smile.

Adam gave her a little smile back but began to leave until he hesitated. He looked back down at her before he then lightly caressed her face, resulting in her blushing, and leaned in. Vera turned her head to make it easier for Adam to kiss her and her eyes fluttered closed when he did.

“Be safe,” Adam spoke lowly as he pulled away.

“You too,” Vera said. She smiled happily as she watched him give her a nod before turning and leaving.

\--

Vera was up shortly after and checked the time to see that it was eight in the morning. She was still tired and could sleep for a few more hours but she didn't know when Koller actually needed her at the shop so she got up anyways and rushed out the door.

As Vera quickly stepped down the stairs, she bumped into another woman when she turned the corner. Neither of them fell but Vera quickly put her hands up and apologized anyways. “I'm so sorry!” The other woman was augmented and had long, braided blonde hair that ran down her back. Her name was Daria, she was overly obsessed with cats and had a strong personality disorder.

“No,” Daria began bashfully. She paused as she stared at Vera's eye but then looked away. “It was my fault.” She was already pushing past her, “Excuse me.”

Vera looked back at Daria as she disappeared around the corner for a moment. Something seemed off about the other woman but Vera shook the thoughts away and continued down the steps. She had a job to be at.

She took the side path to Koller's shop that was gated and sped walked to the bookstore. Before she pushed the front door open, she could see that bookshelves were lifted up again and fixed mostly in place as if someone had already started cleaning the store. Vera walked inside and observed her surroundings; it was still messy but most of the hard work had already been done. She approached the front desk where the first computer was and saw a message left next to a phone.

There was a line pointing to the phone and the message read:  _ Press me. _

Vera did as it told and pressed her finger to the screen, lighting it up and activating a call on the other end. She heard a voice and followed by lifting the phone to her ear. “Hello?”

“Hey!” it was Vaclav, cheery as ever. “Glad to see you made it! I'll be there shortly; I'm actually just finishing up with a client. And feel free to keep the phone. It's yours.”

“Okay..,” Vera spoke. She could hear what sounded like a wires sparking against each other. “Thanks.” She hung up after she heard that he had done so and looked down at her new phone. She had an old one; she just hadn't activated it yet but she appreciated the gift. She flipped through the menus and got to contacts. It had Adam listed which she smiled over and had three different numbers listed for Vaclav which she then huffed out a laugh over.

Vera placed the phone in her back pocket before setting her bag down. She didn't know what bookstore work she should do so instead she set to cleaning the rest of his store; putting her hair up again in the process.

\--

Vera had almost cleaned the whole store when Koller arrived. She was on the first floor and didn't scare him this time when he walked in. Instead, she greeted him with a smile which he returned immediately.

“Sorry it took so long,” Koller began. He looked tired; his eyes were red and the bags under his eyes stood out more noticeably now. But Vera assumed that could also be because this would be the first time she's seen him in the middle of the day out of his dungeon. “Sometimes there can be some confusion with the agreed terms and…. It's taken care of.”

Vera didn't exactly like the words Koller said but it wasn't her place to question him. Instead she nodded and changed the subject, “So what do you need me to do?”

Koller clapped his metal hands together and motioned her to follow him as he made his way to the stairs, “I've been closed since Otar's goons first wrecked my shop but, thanks to you, I can open again! This place looks great!”

“It's the least I can do,” Vera said as she walked up the steps with him. “Since you won't let me pay you.”

Koller glanced back at her with a smile, “Well, people still ask for specific books that I can send out and that'll be what I show you first.”

Vera followed him to his office and he slid a chair with him as he walked around his desk. He placed the extra chair next to his before he sat down, which Vera then took a seat next to him. He logged into his computer and pulled up a packing list that's overdue. He went on explaining how to look up what's requested and how to label certain cartons and how to document each shipment. It didn't seem too confusing as Vera was leaned forward in her chair, listening closely to what he was saying. It was probably the first time she had heard him talk about something that didn't involve augmentations or the Dvali. It also wasn't as awkward to be around him as she feared it would be.

Koller was in the middle of another walkthrough when his phone suddenly went off and his screen immediately lit up with the name of Radich Nikoladze, making the doctor choke on his words and look down at the device.

“Uhhm,” Koller swallowed. “I'll, uh, be back.”

Vera nodded and moved to let Koller walk by her with his phone. She watched the doctor leave with worry. She had never met Radich but she knew he was in charge of everything Dvali and she was able to pick up on how terrified Koller was of him. Koller walked around the hallway but his and Radich’s voice carried into the office just loud enough for Vera to know that the Crime Lord was not happy. He was tormenting Koller.

Vera sat patiently. Waiting for him to return seemed like it was taking forever. She couldn't hear the words being spoken but she knew immediately when Koller spoke. His voice was frantic and scared. Vera roughly rubbed her thumbs over her knuckles as she waited and listened. She didn't have intimate feelings towards the doctor but she did admit to herself that she cared for him and seeing him in such distress hurt her. She suddenly looked up when he entered back into his office.

“Where were we?” Koller quickly said and paced to his seat before Vera could even speak.

“Shipping labels,” was all Vera said.

“Right!” Koller said and pointed at the screen. His hand was shaking and it wasn't from neuropozyne withdrawals. “Check the numbers before…,” his voice seemed to fade as Vera watched his hands and would occasionally slide her eyes to his face. When she watched him then lower his hand just to hold it with the other one that was also shaking as bad, she stopped him from talking by grabbing both his hands with her own.

“Vaclav,” Vera spoke. “You're shaking.”

Koller's eyes were on her hand against his metal ones. “A-am I? Sorry. …. I just have a lot on my mind.”

Vera slowly slid her hand away and leaned forward in her chair, “Are you okay?”

Koller now looked over at her and his smile was obviously forced, which he knew it was too. “Everything's okay.” When Vera remained staring at him with concern, he then frowned. “I'm fine, Vera. This doesn't concern you. A… business partner of mine isn't holding out to his end of the deal and I'm the one taking the heat….” he suddenly looked away and exhaled heavily, hitting his back to the chair he sat in. “Maybe if I talk to him in person….”

Vera leaned back a little in her seat now, “Do you want me to talk to Otar?”

Koller looked at her, hesitated, then shook his head. “No.. it probably wouldn't do much good. It's something I need to take care of.”

Vera sighed quietly. “If I can help you, Vaclav….”

This time, his smile was real but it was almost a weak one, “Why would you be so worried about me?”

Vera scratched the back of her head and leaned back fully now. “Believe it or not.. I do care about you, Vaclav. You've done more for me than I could ask for and I want to do anything I can that would help you out.”

Koller's smile grew stronger and the way he looked at Vera was enough to let her know that he still harbored the same feelings towards her as he did before. “I appreciate it but I can't let you get involved again. The first time, the Dvali dragged you off. You were lucky that it was Otar's men. If they were Radich’s men, you would already be sold to the highest bidder. If you had tried to fight back with your augs, they would have just cut your hands off.” He moved his hands as if he wanted to touch her but stopped himself; he was serious, “Please don't try to help me. Promise me.”

Vera listened and understood. She leaned forwards again, “Okay. I'll be careful. …. But I won't promise.” She ended with a smile.

Koller shook his head albeit amused. “It's your choices.” He exhaled and rubbed one of his eyes roughly which brought up Vera's next question.

“When's the last time you've slept?”

Koller almost laughed as he still rubbed his eye. He finally stopped and looked up a little as he thought. “Maybe…. Maybe around 52 hours ago.”

Vera was taken aback. “Are you serious?” When he glanced at her and nodded, she spoke quickly, “Vaclav, that's over 2 days.” She stood up from her chair and grabbed his arm, making him stand too, “I think I get how to pack the right books up to be shipped out. You need to sleep.”

As soon as the doctor started shaking his head, Vera nudged him, “Go to sleep, Vaclav. I got this from here.”

Koller caved and nodded. He turned to his desk and pulled out a pocket secretary from a drawer before handing it to her. “That's the login for the computer downstairs. You can do everything from there as well as from my computer.” Vera nodded as she read the login while Koller walked towards one of the bookshelves along the back of his office. When Vera started leaving, he called her. “It's this book, by the way.” Koller said as he tapped his finger to a red one.

Vera stared in his direction for a moment before smiling. “Got it.”

\--

Vera left to go downstairs to the other terminal while Koller retreated to his dungeon. After she logged in and pulled up every shipping request, she was shocked at how many people still wanted books in this day of age. She quickly learned how to search for books and find out where they should be located in the store and set to work on what Koller taught her.

The day flew by in a breeze and Vera didn't have nearly as much boxes packed up as she wanted for shipment but she had to sit and take a break. She had been non-stop running around grabbing books and climbing ladders to get what was requested and when she stopped to catch her breath, the sun was already setting.

She wasn't sure when her shift should be over and decided that she may as well ask. Also, it'd allow her to check up on Koller to see if he was okay. Vera ascended the steps to go to the doctor's office and approached the red book he had pointed at earlier. When she pulled on it, the shelves slid open and revealed the elevator within.

Koller was sitting on the edge of his bed smoking his third cigarette when he noticed the elevator being used. He didn't bother to check however and assumed it was Vera; her then walking in sight. When Vera saw him, she frowned deeply.

“Did you even sleep?” she asked.

Koller gave her a half smile before frowning and shaking his head. “I couldn't.”

Vera sighed and approached him, making him look up at her as she did so, before then sitting down next to him. When he offered her a cigarette, she declined.

“Talk to me,” Vera said. “What's happening?”

At first, Koller didn't speak. Instead, he took a long drag on the cigarette before it was low enough for him to be done with it and he put it out on his hand. “I need…,” he thought of the right words to say. “There is a certain package that's supposed to be delivered to me every month and that said package then gets sent to Radich. The problem is, the person who is supposed to send me the package hasn't and he won't answer any of my calls or emails.” Vera stayed quiet for him to continue, “And if I don't get enough ne-- enough of the contents, then Radich is going to kill me.”

Vera paled. She knew there were no playing around or second chances with the Dvali. She spoke idiotically anyways, “Maybe he won't? He could just be scaring you.”

Koller laughed and shook his head, “No. If he gets me, I hope he does just kill me. …. Radich is a very evil man… he's done horrible things and he's capable of anything he can think of.”

Vera knew his words were true, “Is there no substitute?” she didn't need to know what the contents were that he was talking about, “No alternative until you could get what you need?”

Koller shook his head hopelessly, “There's nothing. Nothing I can do! Gallois is holding out and now I'm fucked!” Koller ended his outburst by gripping his hair tightly and leaning forwards, elbows on his knees.

Vera flinched and her chest tightened. She wished that she could help him.

“I'll be dead soon.”

Vera's heart rate picked up after his words. She watched him almost pull his hair out and reacted by grabbing his hands. “Vaclav, listen to me.” Her touch made him loosen his grip and he looked up at her as she pulled his hands away from his head but held them. Her eyes stayed locked to the metal of his palms and fingers. “When did you first get augmented?”

“What?” Koller was first confused by her random question. He visibly relaxed when he realized she was trying to change the subject, to make him forget just a little bit of his troubles. “I was born… defective.” He watched as her eyes moved ever so often along his arms, taking in every detail. “I've always had prosthetic limbs and have always been intrigued by them. When I was growing up, I liked to experiment on them, try new things and see to what limits I could make my augmentations go.” To his remorse, he slid a hand out of hers and began feeling the back of his head and down his neck. “Everything I have, I've done myself.”

Vera sat quietly and listened. She stopped holding his other hand now and looked along the paint and little graffiti he had on his red arm. “That's amazing. No wonder you're so good at what you do.”

Koller smiled at the compliment. “Have you never been even remotely interested in augmentations?”

Vera looked at him now and shrugged, “I've never had a problem with them. At one point I considered them for the terrible cramps I would get in my hands from drawing but it was something my dad would never allow. It had become something in the back of my mind as an option but then the aug incident happened and everything turned to shit.”

“Well…,” Koller leaned closer to her, almost mischievously, “I still want to see what all you can do with those augs you became blessed with.”

Vera didn't find his words amusing. “I wasn't blessed. I had my life taken from me.”

Koller didn't flinch, “And now you have a new life here. Tell me;  _ show  _ me what you can do.”

Vera was becoming uneasy, “What do you mean?”

“You can hack augs, right?” Koller began, “So you can hack me? I wanna see.”

Vera immediately shook her head and stood, “No. I don't want to.” Koller stood now too and she put her hands up as if to ask him to not approach her, “I don't need to know how to control this, okay?”

“Of course you do!” Koller exclaimed. All his worries from before had been replaced now by excited obsession. “Why don't you want to become unstoppable?! To become powerful?! An augmented goddess!”

Vera was done being there, “Because that's not me, Vaclav. I'm not power hungry.”

Koller seemed to have collected himself enough to calm down a notch but his eyes still burned with passion, “Just make me do anything. It can be minor.  _ Pleaassee…. _ ”

Vera exhaled and almost laughed, shaking her head with a smile of disbelief on her face. “I've told you  _ no,  _ Koller. I don't want to.”

Koller sighed too and relaxed, “Nothing to change your mind?” When she shook her head and shrugged, he smiled.

“What?” Vera asked nervously. He was planning something.

Koller took a few casual strides closer to her and held his hands behind his back, “Nothing at all?”

“What,” Vera began, “are you planning?”

Koller took another step closer and straightened up, “Just… promise you won't hate me. It's not my intention.”

“What are you planning?” Vera repeated more strictly. Shivers shot up her spine when he lightly caressed under her chin with his fingertips along his unique hand.

“If you don't show me,” Koller began lowly, “Then I'll just have to kiss you again.”

Vera jerked away immediately. When she did, he gave her an apologetic smile. He just really wanted to see what her augs could do. When he slid his hand to the back of her head, she reacted by immediately raising her right hand, charges ready. She'd shock some sense into him if she had to but he had snatched her wrist when she did. Being pure metal from his shoulders down to his fingertips, Koller outmatched her strength tenfold.

“Vaclav!” Vera breathed out desperately. He was closing in, pulling her head closer but he was giving her just a second to react. He wanted her to stop him but she knew at the same time, he didn't. Koller was making it obvious how much he was interested in her but her heart already belonged to someone else.

Out of desperation, Vera frantically twitched the fingers on her left hand. She unlocked his info to her and delved into his augmented system. She found what she needed to take control and briefly closed her hand. Finding something out of the split moment she had, she took it and closed her hand tightly.

The hand on her head dropped; he let go of her wrist. Vera gasped and jumped backwards as Koller fell to the floor limp and unmoving.

Along her left eye, she read that Koller was inactive and her eyes widened; she began to panic. “V-Vaclac?” she took a shaky step backwards. “Vaclav, a-are you okay?” She didn't know what she had done to put him in such a state. Sure, she didn't appreciate him forcing her to act but she still didn't want to hurt him or whatever she did to him.

Vera kneeled down next to him and hesitantly touched him. He wasn't breathing.

She began trembling and freaked out, “Vaclav, wake up!” Vera shook his shoulder, “C-c’mon man! Don't do this!” When she fell back to sit, hands on each side of her as she stared wide-eyed at the doctor, she didn't see anyway to activate him again.

  
“Wh-what did I do…?!”


End file.
